try 


tibrary  of  trhe  theological  Seminary 

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PRESENTED  BY 

the  Estate  of 
Rev.  David  Henderson  Goodwlllie 
BV  4811  .W53  1898 
White,  Ellen  Gould  Harmon, 

1827-1915. 
Steps  to  Christ 


LOI5.ID,    SAVE     TXL^Ll" 


BOOKS  BY  MRS.  E.  G.  WHITE. 


I.    THE   DESIRE  OF  AGES. 

The  author's  greatest  production.  Contains  87  chap- 
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II.    PATRIARCHS  AND   PROPHETS; 

Or  the  Oreat  Conflict  Between  Good  and  Evil 
as  Illustrated  in  the  Lives  of  Holy  Men  of 
Old. 
Contains  73  chapters,  762  pages,  and  more  than  50  en- 
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Ill     THE  GREAT  CONTROVERSY 

Between  Christ  and  Satan  During  the 
Christian  Dispensation. 
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IV.  THOUGHTS    FROM    THE    MOUNT    OF 

BLESSING. 

A  graphic  presentation  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 
Contains  209  pages,  and  15  original  half-tone  illus- 
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V.  STEPS  TO   CHRIST. 

A  book  which  has  cheered  many  a  discouraged 
heart.  Already  issued  in  fifteen  languages.  Con- 
tains 13  chapters,  and  163  pages;  with  frontispiece. 
Cloth,  aluminum  back  and  side  stamps,  50  cents  ; 
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REVIEW   &   HERALD    PUB.    CO., 

BATTLE  CREEK,  MICH. 
CH,CAG0-  Toronto.  ATLANTA- 


STEPS  TO  CHRIST. 


STEPS   TO   CHRIST 


m 


n 


2 

». 


BY 
MRS.  E.  G.  WHITE 


REVIEW  AND  HERALD  PUBLISHING  CO. 

Battle  Creek,  Mich.;    Chicago,  III.;  Atlanta,  Ga. 

1898 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1892,  by  the 

Fleming  H.  Revell  Company, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C- 


Copyright  transferred  to 

Review  and  Herald  Publishing  Co., 

Battle  Creek,  Mich. 


PUBLISHEKS'  NOTE. 


This  little  volume  needs  no  commendation.  A  care- 
ful survey  of  its  contents  will  show  that  the  author 
"has  been  with  Jesus,"  and  written  with  a  pen  radiant 
with  the  light  of  Heaven.  The  all-pervading  spiritual- 
ity and  wholesome  counsel  blended  through  these  pages 
causes  the  book  to  meet  with  very  general  acceptance. 
Once  read,  it  is  often  reread  and  studied  as  a  guide- 
book in  the  way  of  salvation. 

The  English  original  has  rapidly  passed  through 
successive  editions,  and  the  work  is  now,  through  the 
aid  of  careful  translations,  brought  out  in  most  of  the 
leading  languages  of  Europe.1 

So  great  has  been  the  demand  for  this  small  volume 
that  one  translation  of  it  in  manuscript  form  exists  in 
South  America.  And  in  one  of  the  States  west  of  the 
Mississippi  a  Congregationalist  pastor  distributed  five 
hundred  copies  among  the  members  of  his  congregation. 

That  "Steps  to  Christ"  may  continue  to  be  to  the 
thousands  of  its  readers  all  that  the  name  implies,  is 
the  fervent  desire  of 

The  Publishers. 

October,  1896. 


iThis  volume  enjoys  the  reputation  of  being  published  in 
the  English,  German,  French,  Holland,  Portuguese,  "Welsh, 
Hungarian,  Bohemian,  Italian,  Finnish,  and  Spanish  lan- 
guages, and  the  work  of  translation  into  other  tongues  and 
dialects  is  still  continued. 

[5] 


CONTENTS. 


G-od's  Love  for  Man 
The  Sinner's  Need  of  Christ 
Repentance      .... 
Confession    .       .       . 
Consecration  .... 
Faith  and  Acceptance    . 
The  Test  of  Discipleship  . 
Growing  up  into  Christ 
The  Work  and  the  Life  . 
A  Knowledge  of  God     . 
The  Privilege  of  Prayer 
What  to  do  with  Doubt 
Rejoicing  in  the  Lord 


Page. 

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£Z 

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146 


GOD'S  LOYE  FOE  MAN. 


Nature  and  revelation  alike  testify  of  God's 
love.  Our  Father  in  heaven  is  the  source  of 
life,  of  wisdom,  and  of  joy.  Look  at  the  won- 
derful and  beautiful  things  of  nature.  Think 
of  their  marvelous  adaptation  to  the  needs  and 
happiness,  not  only  of  man,  but  of  all  living 
creatures.  The  sunshine  and  the  rain,  that 
gladden  and  refresh  the  earth,  the  hills  and 
seas  and  plains,  all  speak  to  us  of  the  Creator's 
love.  It  is  God  who  supplies  the  daily  needs 
of  all  his  creatures.  In  the  beautiful  words  of 
the  Psalmist, — ■ 

"  The  eyes  of  all  wait  upon  Thee ; 
And  Thou  givest  them  their  meat  in  due  season. 
Thou  openest  Thine  hand, 
And  satisflest  the  desire  of  every  living  thing."  * 

God  made  man  perfectly  holy  and  happy; 
and  the  fair  earth,  as  it  came  from  the  Creator's 
hand,  bore  no  blight  of  decay  or  shadow  of  the 
curse.  It  is  transgression  of  God's  law  —  the 
law  of  love  —  that  has  brought  woe  and  death. 
1  Ps.  145  :  15,  16. 

m 


STEPS  TO  CUBIST. 


Yet  even  amid  the  suffering  that  results  from 
sin,  God's  love  is  revealed.  It  is  written  that 
God  cursed  the  ground  for  man's  sake.1  The 
thorn  and  the  thistle  —  the  difficulties  and  trials 
that  make  his  life  one  of  toil  and  care  —  were 
appointed  for  his  good,  as  a  part  of  the  training 
needful  in  God's  plan  for  his  uplifting  from 
the  ruin  and  degradation  that  sin  has  wrought. 
The  world,  though  fallen,  is  not  all  sorrow  and 
misery.  In  nature  itself  are  messages  of  hope 
and  comfort.  There  are  flowers  upon  the  this- 
tles, and  the  thorns  are  covered  with  roses. 

"God  is  love,"  is  written  upon  every  open- 
ing bud,  upon  every  spire  of  spring  grass. 
The  lovely  birds  make  the  air  vocal  with  their 
happy  songs,  the  delicately  tinted  flowers  in 
their  perfection  perfuming  the  air,  the  lofty 
trees  of  the  forest  with  their  rich  foliage  of 
living  green, —  all  testify  to  the  tender,  fatherly 
care  of  our  God,  and  to  his  desire  to  make  his 
children  happy. 

The  word  of  God  reveals  his  character.  He 
himself  has  declared  his  infinite  love  and  pity. 
When  Moses  prayed,  ' '  Show  me  thy  glory, ' ' 
the  Lord  answered,  "I  will  make  all  my  good- 
ness pass  before  thee. ' ' 2  This  is  his  glory. 
1  Gen.  3  :  17  z  Ex.  33  :  18,  19. 


GOD'S  LOVE  FOR  MAN. 


The  Lord  passed  before  Moses,  and  proclaimed, 
"The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gra- 
cious, long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness 
and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  for- 
giving iniquity  and  transgression  and  sin."1 
He  < '  is  slow  to  anger,  and  of  great  kindness, ' ' 2 
"because  he  delighteth  in  mercy."  3 

God  has  bound  our  hearts  to  him  by  unnum- 
bered tokens  in  heaven  and  in  earth.  Through 
the  things  of  nature,  and  the  deepest  and  ten- 
derest  earthly  ties  that  human  hearts  can  know, 
he  has  sought  to  reveal  himself  to  us.  Yet  these 
but  imperfectly  represent  his  love.  Though  all 
these  evidences  have  been  given,  the  enemy  of 
good  blinded  the  minds  of  men,  so  that  they 
looked  upon  God  with  fear,  they  thought  of 
him  as  severe  and  unforgiving.  Satan  led  men 
to  conceive  of  God  as  a  being  whose  chief  at- 
tribute is  stern  justice, —  one  who  is  a  severe 
judge, —  a  harsh,  exacting  creditor.  He  pic- 
tured the  Creator  as  a  being  who  is  watching 
with  jealous  eye  to  discern  the  errors  and  mis- 
takes of  men,  that  he  may  visit  judgments  upon 
them.  It  was  to  remove  this  dark  shadow,  by 
revealing  to  the  world  the  infinite  love  of  God, 
that  Jesus  came  to  live  among  men. 

1  Ex.  34  :  6,  7.         2  Jonah  4:2.         3  Aiicah  ?  :  18. 


10  STEPS  TO  CHRIST. 

The  Son  of  God  came  from  heaven  to  make 
manifest  the  Father.  ' '  No  man  hath  seen  God 
at  any  time;  the  only  begotten  Son,  which  is 
in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath  declared 
him."1  "Neither  knowet.h  any  man  the 
Father,  save  the  Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever 
the  Son  will  reveal  him."  2  When  one  of  the 
disciples  made  the  request,  ' c  Show  us  the 
Father,"  Jesus  answered,  "Have  I  been  so 
long  time  with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou  not 
known  me,  Philip  ?  he  that  hath  seen  me  hath 
seen  the  Father;  and  how  sayest  thou  then, 
Show  us  the  Father?"3 

In  describing  his  earthly  mission,  Jesus  said, 
The  Lord  "hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the 
gospel  to  the  poor;  he  hath  sent  me  to  heal 
the  broken-hearted,  to  preach  deliverance  to 
the  captives,  and  recovering  of  sight  to  the 
blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised."* 
This  was  his  work.  He  went  about  doing  good, 
and  healing  all  that  were  oppressed  by  Satan. 
There  were  whole  villages  where  there  was  not 
a  moan  of  sickness  in  any  house;  for  he  had 
passed  through  them,  and  healed  all  their  sick. 
His  work  gave  evidence  of  his  divine  anoint- 

1  John  1-18         2  Matt.  1 1  :  27.  3  John  14  :  8,  9. 

4  LuKe  4  :  18. 


GOD'S  LOVE  FOR  MAN.  11 

ing.  Love,  mercy,  and  compassion  were  re- 
vealed in  every  act  of  his  life;  his  heart  went 
out  in  tender  sympathy  to  the  children  of  men. 
He  took  man's  nature,  that  he  might  reach 
man's  wants.  The  poorest  and  humblest  were 
not  afraid  to  approach  him.  Even  little  chil- 
dren were  attracted  to  him.  They  loved  to 
climb  upon  his  knees,  and  gaze  into  the  pen- 
sive face,  benignant  with  love 

Jesus  did  not  suppress  one  word  of  truth, 
but  he  uttered  it  always  in  love.  He  exercised 
the  greatest  tact,  and  thoughtful,  kind  attention 
in  his  intercourse  with  the  people.  He  was 
never  rude,  never  needlessly  spoke  a  severe 
word,  never  gave  needless  pain  to  a  sensitive 
soul.  He  did  not  censure  human  weakness. 
He  spoke  the  truth,  but  always  in  love.  He 
denounced  hypocrisy,  unbelief,  and  iniquity; 
but  tears  were  in  his  voice  as  he  uttered  his 
scathing  rebukes.  He  wept  over  Jerusalem, 
the  city  he  loved,  which  refused  to  receive  him, 
the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life.  They  had 
rejected  him,  the  Saviour,  but  he  regarded 
them  with  pitying  tenderness.  His  life  was 
one  of  self-denial  and  thoughtful  care  for 
others.  Every  soul  was  precious  in  his  eyes. 
While  he  ever  bore  himself  with  divine  dignity, 


12  STEPS  TO  CHRIST. 

he  bowed  with  the  tenderest  regard  to  every 
member  of  the  family  of  God.  In  all  men  he 
saw  fallen  souls  whom  it  was  his  mission  to 
save. 

Such  is  the  character  of  Christ  as  revealed 
in  his  life.  This  is  the  character  of  God.  It 
is  from  the  Father's  heart  that  the  streams  of 
divine  compassion,  manifest  in  Christ,  flow  out 
to  the  children  of  men.  Jesus,  the  tender, 
pitying  Saviour,  was  '  <  God  manifest  in  the 
flesh."1 

It  was  to  redeem  us  that  Jesus  lived  and 
suffered  and  died.  He  became  a  ' '  Man  of 
sorrows,"  that  we  might  be  made  partakers  of 
everlasting  joy.  God  permitted  his  beloved 
Son,  full  of  grace  and  truth,  to  come  from  a 
world  of  indescribable  glory,  to  a  world  marred 
and  blighted  with  sin,  darkened  with  the  shadow 
of  death  and  the  curse.  He  permitted  him  to 
leave  the  bosom  of  his  love,  the  adoration  of 
the  angels,  to  suffer  shame,  insult,  humiliation, 
hatred,  and  death.  "The  chastisement  of  our 
peace  was  upon  him;  and  with  his  stripes  we 
are  healed. ' ' 2  Behold  him  in  the  wilder- 
ness, in  Gethsemane,  upon  the  cross!  The 
ll  Tim.  3:16.  2Isa  53:5. 


GOD'S  LOVE  FOR  MAN.  13 

spotless  Son  of  God  took  upon  himself  the 
burden  of  sin.  He  who  had  been  one  with 
God,  felt  in  his  soul  the  awful  separation  that 
sin  makes  between  God  and  man.  This  wrung 
from  his  lips  the  anguished  cry,  "My  God, 
my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?  "  *  It 
was  the  burden  of  sin,  the  sense  of  its  terrible 
enormity,  of  its  separation  of  the  soul  from 
God, —  it  was  this  that  broke  the  heart  of  the 
Son  of  God. 

But  this  great  sacrifice  was  not  made  in  order 
to  create  in  the  Father's  heart  a  love  for  man, 
not  to  make  him  willing  to  save.  No,  no! 
' '  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son. ' ' 2  The  Father  loves  us, 
not  because  of  the  great  propitiation,  but  he 
provided  the  propitiation  because  he  loves  us. 
Christ  was  the  medium  through  which  he  could 
pour  out  his  infinite  love  upon  a  fallen  world. 
'  *  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto 
himself."3  God  suffered  with  his  Son.  In 
the  agony  of  Gethsemane,  the  death  of  Calvary, 
the  heart  of  infinite  love  paid  the  price  of  our 
redemption. 

Jesus  said,  ' '  Therefore  doth  my  Father  love 
1  Matt.  27  :  46.  2  John  3:10.  3  2  Cor.  5  :19. 


U  STEPS  TO  CHRIST. 

me,  because  I  lay  down  my  life,  that  I  might 
take  it  again."1  That  is,  "  my  Father  hath 
so  loved  you  that  he  even  loves  me  more  for 
giving  my  life  to  redeem  you.  In  becoming 
your  Substitute  and  Surety,  by  surrendering 
my  life,  by  taking  your  liabilities,  your  trans- 
gressions, I  am  endeared  to  my  Father;  for  by 
my  sacrifice,  God  can  be  just,  and  yet  the 
Justifier  of  him  who  believeth  in  Jesus." 

None  but  the  Son  of  God  could  accomplish 
our  redemption;  for  only  he  who  was  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Father  could  declare  him.  Only 
he  who  knew  the  height  and  depth  of  the  love 
of  God  could  make  it  manifest.  Nothing  less 
than  the  infinite  sacrifice  made  by  Christ  in 
behalf  of  fallen  man  could  express  the  Father's 
love  to  lost  humanity. 

' '  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  His 
only  begotten  Son."  He  gave  him  not  only 
to  live  among  men,  to  bear  their  sins,  and  die 
their  sacrifices;  he  gave  him  to  the  fallen 
race.  Christ  was  to  identify  Himself  with  the 
interest  and  needs  of  humanity.  He  who  was 
one  with  God  has  linked  himself  with  the 
children  of  men  by  ties  that  are  never  to  be 
Uohn  10:17. 


GOD'S  LOVE  FOR  MAN.  15 

broken.  Jesus  is  < '  not  ashamed  to  call  them 
brethren;  "  *  our  Sacrifice,  our  Advocate,  our 
Brother,  bearing  our  human  form  before  the 
Father's  throne,  and  through  eternal  ages  one 
with  the  race  he  has  redeemed,  —  the  Son  of 
man.  And  all  this  that  man  might  be  uplifted 
from  the  ruin  and  degradation  of  sin,  that  he 
might  reflect  the  love  of  God,  and  share  the 
joy  of  holiness. 

The  price  paid  for  our  redemption,  the  infinite 
sacrifice  of  our  Heavenly  Father  in  giving  his 
Son  to  die  for  us,  should  give  us  exalted  con- 
ceptions of  what  we  may  become  through 
Christ.  As  the  inspired  apostle  John  beheld 
the  height,  the  depth,  the  breadth  of  the 
Father's  love  toward  the  perishing  race,  he  is 
filled  with  adoration  and  reverence,  and  failing 
to  find  suitable  language  in  which  to  express 
the  greatness  and  tenderness  of  this  love,  he 
calls  upon  the  world  to  behold  it.  ; '  Behold 
what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed 
upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of 
God."2  What  a  value  this  places  upon  man! 
Through  transgression,  the  sons  of  man  become 
subjects  of  Satan.  Through  faith  in  the  aton- 
iHeb.  2:11.  21  John  3  : 1. 


16  STEPS  TO  CHRIST 

ing  sacrifice  of  Christ,  the  sons  of  Adam  may 
become  the  sons  of  God!  By  assuming  human 
nature  Christ  elevates  humanity.  Fallen  men 
are  placed  where,  through  connection  with 
Christ,  they  may  indeed  become  worthy  of  the 
name  "sons  of  God." 

Such  love  is  without  a  parallel.  Children  of 
the  Heavenly  King!  Precious  promise!  Theme 
for  the  most  profound  meditation!  The  match- 
less love  of  God  for  a  world  that  did  not  love 
Him.  The  thought  has  a  subduing  power  upon 
the  soul,  and  brings  the  mind  into  captivity 
to  the  will  of  God.  The  more  we  study  the 
Divine  character  in  the  light  of  the  Cross,  the 
more  we  see  mercy,  tenderness,  and  forgiveness 
blended  with  equity  and  justice,  and  the  more 
clearly  we  discern  innumerable  evidences  of  a 
love  that  is  infinite,  and  a  tender  pity  surpass- 
ing a  mother's  yearning  sympathy  for  her  way- 
ward child. 

"Every  human  tie  may  perish, 

Friend  to  friend  unfaithful  prove, 

Mothers  cease  their  own  to  cherish, 
Heaven  and  earth  at  last  remove ; 

But  no  change 

Can  attend  Jehovah's  love." 


THE   SINNER'S   NEED   OF   CHRIST. 


Man  was  originally  endowed  with  noble 
powers  and  a  well-balanced  mind.  He  was 
perfect  in  his  being,  and  in  harmony  with 
God.  His  thoughts  were  pure,  his  aims  holy. 
But  through  disobedience  his  powers  were 
perverted,  and  selfishness  took  the  place  of 
love.  His  nature  became  so  weakened  through 
transgression  that  it  was  impossible  for  him, 
in  his  own  strength,  to  resist  the  power  of 
evil.  He  was  made  captive  by  Satan,  and 
would  have  remained  so  forever  had  not  God 
specially  interposed.  It  was  the  tempter's 
purpose  to  thwart  the  divine  plan  in  man's 
creation ,  and  fill  the  earth  with  woe  and  deso- 
lation. And  he  would  point  to  all  this  evil  as 
the  result  of  God's  work  in  creating  man. 

In  his  sinless  state,  man  held  joyful  commun- 
ion with  Him  ' '  in  whom  are  hid  all  the  treas- 
ures of  wisdom  and  knowledge."1     But  after 
his  sin,   he  could  no  longer  find  joy  in   holi- 
1  Col.  2  :  3. 

[17] 


18  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

ness,  and  he  sought  to  hide  from  the  presence 
of  God.  Such  is  still  the  condition  of  the 
unrenewed  heart.  It  is  not  in  harmony  with 
God,  and  finds  no  joy  in  communion  with  him. 
The  sinner  could  not  be  happy  in  God's  pres- 
ence; he  would  shrink  from  the  companion- 
ship of  holy  beings.  Could  he  be  permitted 
to  enter  heaven,  it  would  have  no  joy  for  him. 
The  spirit  of  unselfish  love  that  reigns  there 
—  every  heart  responding  to  the  heart  of 
Infinite  Love  —  would  touch  no  answering 
chord  in  his  soul.  His  thoughts,  his  interests, 
his  motives,  would  be  alien  to  those  that  actu- 
ate the  sinless  dwellers  there.  He  would  be 
a  discordant  note  in  the  melody  of  heaven. 
Heaven  would  be  to  him  a  place  of  torture; 
he  would  long  to  be  hidden  from  him  who  is 
its  light,  and  the  center  of  its  joy.  It  is  no 
arbitrary  decree  on  the  part  of  God  that 
excludes  the  wicked  from  heaven :  they  are 
shut  out  by  their  own  unfitness  for  its  com- 
panionship. The  glory  of  God  would  be  to 
them  a  consuming  fire.  They  would  welcome 
destruction,  that  they  might  be  hidden  from 
the  face  of  him  who  died  to  redeem  them. 
It  is  impossible  for  us,  of  ourselves,  to  es- 


THE   SINNER'S    NEED   OF   CHRIST.       19 

cape  from  the  pit  of  sin  in  which  we  are 
sunken.  Our  hearts  are  evil,  and  we  can  not 
change  them.  "  Who  can  bring  a  clean  thing 
out  of  an  unclean? — Not  one."  "The  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God;  for  it  is  not  sub- 
ject to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be."1 
Education,  culture,  the  exercise  of  the  will, 
human  effort,  all  have  their  proper  sphere,  but 
here  they  are  powerless.  They  may  produce 
an  outward  correctness  of  behavior,  but  they 
can  not  change  the  heart;  they  can  not  purify 
the  springs  of  life.  There  must  be  a  power 
working  from  within,  a  new  life  from  above, 
before  men  can  be  changed  from  sin  to  holi- 
ness. That  power  is  Christ.  His  grace  alone 
can  quicken  the  lifeless  faculties  of  the  soul, 
and  attract  it  to  God,  to  holiness.  The  Sav- 
iour said,  "  Except  a  man  be  born  from  above," 
unless  he  shall  receive  a  new  heart,  new  de- 
sires, purposes,  and  motives,  leading  to  a  new 
life,  "he  can  not  see  the  kingdom  of  God."2 
The  idea  that  it  is  necessary  only  to  develop 
the  good  that  exists  in  man  by  nature,  is  a 
fatal  deception.  "  The  natural  man  receiveth 
not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God:  for  they 
1  Job  14  :  4 ;  Rom.  8:7.         2  John  3  :  3  (margin). 


20  STEPS  TO  CHRIST. 

are  foolishness  unto  liirn  ;  neither  can  he  know 
them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned." 
"  Marvel  not  that  I  said  unto  thee,  Ye  must 
be  born  again."1  Of  Christ  it  is  written,  "  In 
him  was  life,  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men," 
the  only  "  name  under  heaven,  given  among 
men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved."2 

It  is  not  enough  to  perceive  the  loving  kind- 
ness of  God,  to  see  the  benevolence,  the  fath- 
erly tenderness,  of  his  character.  It  is  not 
enough  to  discern  the  wisdom  and  justice  of 
his  law,  to  see  that  it  is  founded  upon  the  eter- 
nal principle  of  love.  Paul  the  apostle  saw  all 
this  when  he  exclaimed,  "  I  consent  unto  the 
law,  that  it  is  good."  "  The  law  is  holy,  and 
the  commandment  holy,  and  just,  and  good."3 
But  he  added,  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul-an- 
guish and  despair,  "  I  am  carnal,  sold  under 
sin."  He  longed  for  the  purity,  the  righteous- 
ness, to  which  in  himself  he  was  powerless  to 
attain,  and  he  cried  out,  "  O  wretched  man 
that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from  this  body 
of  death  ?  "  *  Such  is  the  cry  that  has  gone  up 
from   burdened  hearts  in  all  lands  and  in  all 

*1  Cor.  2:14;  John  3  :  7.       2  John  1:4;  Acts  4  :  12. 
8  Rom.  7 :  16,  12,  14.        *  Rom.  7 :  24  (margin). 


THE  SINNER'S  NEED   OF   CHRIST.       21 

ages.  To  all,  there  is  but  one  answer,  ''Be- 
hold the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world."1 

Many  are  the  figures  by  which  the  Spirit  of 
God  has  sought  to  illustrate  this  truth,  and 
make  it  plain  to  souls  that  long  to  be  freed 
from  the  burden  of  guilt.  When,  after  his  sin 
in  deceiving  Esau,  Jacob  fled  from  his  father's 
home,  he  was  weighed  down  with  a  sense  of 
guilt.  Lonely  and  outcast  as  he  was,  sepa- 
rated from  all  that  had  made  life  dear,  the  one 
thought  that  above  all  others  pressed  upon  his 
soul,  was  the  fear  that  his  sin  had  cut  him  off 
from  God,  that  he  was  forsaken  of  Heaven. 
In  sadness  he  lay  down  to  rest  on  the  bare 
earth,  around  him  only  the  lonely  hills,  and 
above,  the  heavens  bright  with  stars.  As  he 
slept,  a  strange  light  broke  upon  his  vision; 
and  lo,  from  the  plain  on  which  he  lay,  vast 
shadowy  stairs  seemed  to  lead  upward  to  the 
very  gates  of  heaven,  and  upon  them  angels  of 
God  were  passing  up  and  down ;  while  from  the 
glory  above,  the  divine  voice  was  heard  in  a 
message  of  comfort  and  hope.  Thus  was  made 
known  to  Jacob  that  which  met  the  need  and 
1  John  1 :  29, 


22  STEPS    TO  CHRIST. 

longing  of  his  soul,  a  Saviour.  With  joy  and 
gratitude  he  saw  revealed  a  way  by  which  he, 
a  sinner,  could  be  restored  to  communion  with 
God.  The  mystic  ladder  of  his  dream  repre- 
sented Jesus,  the  only  medium  of  communica- 
tion between  God  and  man. 

This  is  the  same  figure  to  which  Christ  re- 
ferred in  his  conversation  with  Nathanael,  when 
he  said,  "Ye  shall  see  heaven  open,  and  the  an- 
gels of  God  ascending  and  descending  upon  the 
Son  of  man."1  In  the  apostasy,  man  alienated 
himself  from  God;  earth  was  cut  off  from 
heaven.  Across  the  gulf  that  lay  between, 
there  could  be  no  communion.  But  through 
Christ,  earth  is  again  linked  with  heaven. 
With  his  own  merits,  Christ  has  bridged  the 
gulf  which  sin  had  made,  so  that  the  minister- 
ing angels  can  hold  communion  with  man. 
Christ  connects  fallen  man,  in  his  weakness 
and  helplessness,  with  the  source  of  infinite 
power. 

But  in  vain  are  men's  dreams  of  progress,  in 

vain  all  efforts  for  the  uplifting  of  humanity, 

if  they  neglect  the  one  source  of  hope  and  help 

for  the  fallen  race.       "Every  good  gift   and 

1  John  1  :  51. 


THE  SINNER'S  NEED   OF  CHRIST.       23 

every  perfect  gift  "Ms  from  God.  There  is  no 
true  excellence  of  character  apart  from  him. 
And  the  only  way  to  God  is  Christ.  He  says, 
"  I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth.,  and  the  Life  :  no 
man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me. ' ' 2 

The  heart  of  God  yearns  over  his  earthly 
children  with  a  love  stronger  than  death.  In 
giving  up  his  Son,  he  has  poured  out  to  us  all 
heaven  in  one  gift.  The  Saviour's  life  and 
death  and  intercession,  the  ministry  of  angels, 
the  pleading  of  the  Spirit,  the  Father  working 
above  and  through  all,  the  unceasing  interest 
of  heavenly  beings  ;  all  are  enlisted  in  behalf 
of  man's  redemption. 

O  let  us  contemplate  the  amazing  sacrifice 
that  has  been  made  for  us  !  Let  us  try  to  ap- 
preciate the  labor  and  energy  that  heaven  is 
expending  to  reclaim  the  lost,  and  bring  them 
back  to  the  Father's  house.  Motives  stronger, 
and  agencies  more  powerful,  could  never  be 
brought  into  operation  ;  the  exceeding  rewards 
for  right-doing,  the  enjoyment  of  heaven,  the 
society  of  the  angels,  the  communion  and  love 
of  God  and  his  Son,  the  elevation  and  exten- 
sion of  all  our  powers  throughout  eternal  ages, 
1  James  1  :  17.  2  John  14 :  6. 


24  STEPS   TO   CUBIST. 

Are  these  not  mighty  incentives  and  encourage- 
ments to  urge  us  to  give  the  heart's  loving 
service  to  our  Creator  and  Redeemer? 

And,  on  the  other  hand,  the  judgments  of 
God  pronounced  against  sin,  the  inevitable  ret- 
ribution, the  degradation  of  our  character,  and 
the  final  destruction,  are  presented  in  God's 
word  to  warn  us  against  the  service  of  Satan. 

Shall  we  not  regard  the  mercy  of  God  ? 
What  more  could  he  do  ?  Let  us  place  our- 
selves in  right  relation  to  him  who  has  loved 
us  with  amazing  love.  Let  us  avail  ourselves 
of  the  means  provided  for  us  that  we  may  be 
transformed  into  his  likeness,  and  be  restored 
to  fellowship  with  the  ministering  angels,  to 
harmony  and  communion  with  the  Father  and 
the  Son. 


REPENTANCE. 


How  shall  a  man  be  just  with  God  %  How 
shall  the  sinner  be  made  righteous  ?  It  is  only 
through  Christ  that  we  can  be  brought  into 
harmony  with  God,  with  holiness;  but  how 
are  we  to  come  to  Christ  ?  Many  are  asking 
the  same  question  as  did  the  multitude  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  when,  convicted  of  sin,  they 
cried  out,  "What  shall  we  do?"  The  first 
word  of  Peter's  answer  was,  "Repent."  At 
another  time,  shortly  after,  he  said,  "  Repent 
.  .  .  and  be  converted,  that  your  sins  may 
be  blotted  out."1 

Repentance  includes  sorrow  for  sin,  and  a 
turning  away  from  it.  We  shall  not  renounce 
sin  unless  we  see  its  sinfulness;  until  we  turn 
away  from  it  in  heart,  there  will  be  no  real 
change  in  the  life. 

There  are  many  who  fail  to  understand  the 
true  nature  of  repentance.     Multitudes  sorrow 
that  they  have  sinned,  and  even  make  an  out- 
»  Acts  2  :  38;  3  :  19. 
3  [25] 


26  STEPS  TO  CHRIST. 

ward  reformation,  because  they  fear  that  their 
wrong-doing  will  bring  suffering  upon  them- 
selves. But  this  is  not  repentance  in  the 
Bible  sense.  They  lament  the  suffering,  rather 
than  the  sin.  Such  was  the  grief  of  Esau 
when  he  saw  that  the  birthright  was  lost  to 
him  forever.  Balaam,  terrified  by  the  angel 
standing  in  his  pathway  with  drawn  sword, 
acknowledged  his  guilt  lest  he  should  lose  his 
life;  but  there  was  no  genuine  repentance  for 
sin,  no  conversion  of  purpose,  no  abhorrence 
of  evil.  Judas  Iscariot,  after  betraying  his 
Lord,  exclaimed,  "  I  have  sinned,  in  that  I 
have  betrayed  the  innocent  blood."1 

The  confession  was  forced  from  his  guilty 
soul  by  an  awful  sense  of  condemnation  and  a 
fearful  looking  for  of  judgment.  The  conse- 
quences that  were  to  result  to  him  filled  him 
with  terror,  but  there  was  no  deep,  heart-break- 
ing grief  in  his  soul,  that  he  had  betrayed  the 
spotless  Son  of  God,  and  denied  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel.  Pharaoh,  when  suffering  under  the 
judgments  of  God,  acknowledged  his  sin,  in 
order  to  escape  further  punishment,  but  re- 
turned to  his  defiance  of  Heaven  as  soon  as 
1  M"tt.  27:4. 


REPENTANCE.  27 


the  plagues  were  stayed.  These  all  lamented 
the  results  of  sin,  but  did  not  sorrow  for  the 
sin  itself. 

But  when  the  heart  yields  to  the  influence  of 
the  Spirit  of  God,  the  conscience  will  be  quick- 
ened, and  the  sinner  will  discern  something  of 
the  depth  and  sacredness  of  God's  holy  law, 
the  foundation  of  his  government  in  heaven 
and  on  earth.  The  "  Light  which  lighteth 
every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world,"1  illum- 
ines the  secret  chambers  of  the  soul,  and  the 
hidden  things  of  darkness  are  made  manifest. 
Conviction  takes  hold  upon  the  mind  and 
heart.  The  sinner  has  a  sense  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  Jehovah,  and  feels  the  terror  of  appear- 
ing, in  his  own  guilt  and  uncleanness,  before 
the  Searcher  of  hearts.  He  sees  the  love  of 
God,  the  beauty  of  holiness,  the  joy  of  purity ; 
he  longs  to  be  cleansed,  and  to  be  restored  to 
communion  with  Heaven. 

The  prayer  of  David  after  his  fall,  illustrates 
the  nature  of  true  sorrow  for  sin.  His  repent- 
ance was  sincere  and  deep.  There  was  no 
effort  to  palliate  his  guilt ;  no  desire  to  escape 
the  judgment  threatened,  inspired  his  prayer. 

1  John  1:9. 


28  STEPS    TO  CHRIST. 

David  saw  the  enormity  of  his  transgression; 
he  saw  the  defilement  of  his  soul;  he  loathed 
his  sin.  It  was  not  for  pardon  only  that  he 
prayed,  but  for  purity  of  heart.  He  longed 
for  the  joy  of  holiness, — to  be  restored  to 
harmony  and  communion  with  God.  This  was 
the  language  of  his  soul: — 

"  Blessed  is  he  whose  transgression  is  forgiven,  whose 

sin  is  covered. 
Blessed  is  the  man  unto  whom  the  Lord  imputeth  not 

iniquity, 
And  in  whose  spirit  there  is  no  guile." 
"  Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  God,  according  to  thy  loving 

kindness; 
According  unto  the  multitude  of  thy  tender  mercies 

blot  out  my  transgressions. 
For  I  acknowledge  my  transgressions;  and  my  sin  is 

ever  before  me.     .     .    . 
Purge  me  with  hyssop,  and  I  shall  be  clean;  wash  me, 

and  I  shall  be  whiter  than  snow.    .    .    . 
Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God, 
And  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me. 
Cast  me  not  away  from  thy  presence, 
And  take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me. 
Restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation; 
And  uphold  me  with  thy  free  Spirit.     .    .     . 
Deliver  me  from  blood-guiltiness,  O  God,  thou  God  of 

my  salvation: 
And  my  tongue  shall  sing  aloud  of  thy  righteous- 


A    repentance    such    as   this,   is   beyond  the 
xPs.  32:1,  2:  51:1-14. 


REPENTANCE.  29 


reach  of  our  own  power  to  accomplish; 
it  is  obtained  only  from  Christ,  who  as- 
cended up  on  high,  and  has  given  gifts  unto 
men. 

Just  here  is  a  point  on  which  many  err,  and 
hence  they  fail  of  receiving  the  help  that 
Christ  desires  to  give  them.  They  think  that 
they  cannot  come  to  Christ  unless  they  first 
repent,  and  that  repentance  prepares  for  the 
forgiveness  of  their  sins*  It  is  true  that  re- 
pentance does  precede  the  forgiveness  of 
sins;  for  it  is  only  the  broken  and  con- 
trite heart  that  will  feel  the  need  of  a 
Saviour.  But  must  the  sinner  wait  till  he  has 
repented,  before  he  can  come  to  Jesus?  Is 
repentance  to  be  made  an  obstacle  between  the 
sinner  and  the  Saviour? 

The  Bible  does  not  teach  that  the  sinner 
must  repent  before  he  can  heed  the  invitation 
of  Christ,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest. ' ' *  It  is  the  virtue  that  goes  forth  from 
Christ  which  leads  to  genuine  repentance. 
Peter  made  the  matter  clear  in  his  statement 
to  the  Israelites,  when  he  said,  "Him  hath 
1  Matt.  11 :  28. 


30  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

God  exalted  with  his  right  hand  to  be  a 
Prince  and  a  Saviour,  for  to  give  repentance 
to  Israel,  and  forgiveness  of  sins."  '  We  can 
no  more  repent  without  the  Spirit  of  Christ  to 
awaken  the  conscience  thau  we  can  be  par- 
doned without  Christ. 

Christ  is  the  source  of  every  right  impulse. 
He  is  the  only  one  that  can  implant  in  the 
heart  enmity  against  sin.  Every  desire  for 
truth  and  purity,  every  conviction  of  our  own 
sinfulness,  is  an  evidence  that  his  Spirit  is 
moving  upon  our  hearts. 

Jesus  has  said,  "  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from 
the  earth,  will  draw  all  unto  me."2  Christ 
must  be  revealed  to  the  sinner  as  the  Saviour 
dying  for  the  sins  of  the  world;  and  as  we 
behold  the  Lamb  of  God  upon  the  cross  of 
Calvary,  the  mystery  of  redemption  begins  to 
unfold  to  our  minds,  and  the  goodness  of  God 
leads  us  to  repentance.  In  dying  for  sinners, 
Christ  manifested  a  love  that  is  incomprehen- 
sible; and  as  the  sinner  beholds  this  love,  it 
softens  the  heart,  impresses  the  mind,  and 
inspires  contrition  in  the  soul. 

It  is  true  that  men  sometimes  become 
1  Acts  5:  31.  2  John  12:  32. 


REPENTANCE.  31 


ashamed  of  their  sinful  ways,  and  give  up 
some  of  their  evil  habits,  before  they  are  con- 
scious that  they  are  being  drawn  to  Christ. 
But  whenever  they  make  an  effort  to  reform, 
from  a  sincere  desire  to  do  right,  it  is  the 
power  of  Christ  that  is  drawing  them.  An 
influence  of  which  they  are  unconscious 
works  upon  the  soul,  and  the  conscience  is 
quickened,  and  the  outward  life  is  amended. 
And  as  Christ  draws  them  to  look  upon  his 
cross,  to  behold  him  whom  their  sins  have 
pierced,  the  commandment  comes  home  to  the 
conscience.  The  wickedness  of  their  life,  the 
deep-seated  sin  of  the  soul,  is  revealed  to  them. 
They  begin  to  comprehend  something  of  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  and  exclaim,  "  What 
is  sin,  that  it  should  require  such  a  sacrifice 
for  the  redemption  of  its  victim?  Was  all 
this  love,  all  this  suffering,  all  this  humilia- 
tion demanded,  that  we  might  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life?" 

The  sinner  may  resist  this  love,  may  re- 
fuse to  be  drawn  to  Christ ;  but  if  he  does  not 
resist,  he  will  be  drawn  to  Jesus ;  a  knowledge 
of  the  plan  of  salvation  will  lead  him  to  the 
foot  of  the  cross  in  repentance  for  his  sins, 


STEPS    TO    CEBTST. 


which  have  caused  the  sufferings  of  God's 
dear  Son. 

The  same  divine  mind  that  is  working  upon 
the  things  of  nature  is  speaking  to  the  hearts 
of  men,  and  creating  an  inexpressible  craving 
for  something  they  have  not.  The  things  of 
the  world  cannot  satisfy  their  longing.  The 
Spirit  of  God  is  pleading  with  them  to  seek 
for  those  things  that  alone  can  give  peace  and 
rest, —  the  grace  of  Christ,  the  joy  of  holiness. 
Through  influences  seen  and  unseen,  our 
Saviour  is  constantly  at  work  to  attract  the 
minds  of  men  from  the  unsatisfying  pleasures 
of  sin  to  the  infinite  blessings  that  may  be 
theirs  in  him.  To  all  these  souls,  who  are 
vainly  seeking  to  drink  from  the  broken 
cisterns  of  this  world,  the  divine  message  is 
addressed,  "  Let  him  that  is  athirst  come. 
And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of 
life  freely."  ' 

You  who  in  heart  long  for  something  better 
than  this  world  can  give,  recognize  this  long- 
ing as  the  voice  of  God  to  your  soul.  Ask 
him  to  give  you  repentance,  to  reveal  Christ 
to  you  in  his  infinite  love,  in  his  perfect 
*Rev.  22:17. 


REPENTANCE.  33 

purity.  In  the  Saviour's  life  the  principles  of 
God's  law — love  to  God  and  man — were  per- 
fectly exemplified.  Benevolence,  unselfish  love, 
was  the  life  of  his  soul.  It  is  as  we  behold 
him,  as  the  light  from  our  Saviour  falls  upon 
us,  that  we  see  the  sinfulness  of  our  own 
hearts. 

We  may  have  flattered  ourselves,  as  did 
Nicodemus,  that  our  life  has  been  upright, 
that  our  moral  character  is  correct,  and  think 
that  we  need  not  humble  the  heart  before  God, 
like  the  common  sinner:  but  when  the  light 
from  Christ  shines  into  our  souls,  we  shall  see 
how  impure  we  are;  we  shall  discern  the 
selfishness  of  motive,  the  enmity  against  God, 
that  has  defiled  every  act  of  life.  Then  we 
shall  know  that  our  own  righteousness  is 
indeed  as  filthy  rags,  and  that  the  blood  of 
Christ  alone  can  cleanse  us  from  the  defilement 
of  sin,  and  renew  our  hearts  in  his  own  like- 
ness. 

One  ray  of  the  glory  of  God,  one  gleam  of 
the  purity  of  Christ,  penetrating  the  soul, 
makes  every  spot  of  defilement  painfully 
distinct,  and  lays  bare  the  deformity  and  de- 
fects of  the  human  character.     It  makes  ap- 


34  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

parent  the  unhallowed  desires,  the  infidelity 
of  the  heart,  the  impurity  of  the  lips.  The 
sinner's  acts  of  disloyalty  in  making  void  the 
law  of  God,  are  exposed  to  his  sight,  and  his 
spirit  is  stricken  and  afflicted  under  the  search- 
ing influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  He  loathes 
himself  as  he  views  the  pure,  spotless  char- 
acter of  Christ. 

When  the  prophet  Daniel  beheld  the  glory 
surrounding  the  heavenly  messenger  that  was 
sent  unto  him,  he  was  overwhelmed  with  a 
sense  of  his  own  weakness  and  imperfection. 
Describing  the  effect  of  the  wonderful  scene, 
he  says,  "  There  remained  no  strength  in  me; 
for  my  comeliness  was  turned  in  me.  into 
corruption,  and  I  retained  no  strength." l 
The  soul  thus  touched  will  hate  its  selfishness, 
abhor  its  self-love,  and  will  seek,  through 
Christ's  righteousness,  for  the  purity  of  heart 
that  is  in  harmony  with  the  law  of  God  and 
the  character  of  Christ. 

Paul  says  that  as  "touching  the  righteous- 
ness which  is  in  the  law," — as  far  as  outward 
acts  were  concerned, — he  was  "  blameless  ;"2 
but  when  the  spiritual  character  of  the  law  was 
1  Dan.  10  :  8.  2  Phil.  3 :  6. 


REPENTANCE.  35 


discerned,  he  saw  himself  a  sinner.  Judged 
by  the  letter  of  the  law  as  men  apply  it  to  the 
outward  life,  he  had  abstained  from  sin;  but 
when  he  looked  into  the  depths  of  its  holy 
precepts  and  saw  himself  as  God  saw  him,  he 
bowed  in  humiliation,  and  confessed  his 
guilt.  He  says,  "  I  was  alive  without  the 
law  once;  but  when  the  commandment  came, 
sin  revived,  and  I  died."1  When  he  saw  the 
spiritual  nature  of  the  law,  sin  appeared  in 
its  true  hideousness,  and  his  self-esteem  was 
gone. 

God  does  not  regard  all  sins  as  of  equal 
magnitude;  there  are  degrees  of  guilt  in  his 
estimation,  as  well  as  in  that  of  man;  but 
however  trifling  this  or  that  wrong  act  may 
seem  in  the  eyes  of  men,  no  sin  is  small  in  the 
sight  of  God.  Man's  judgment  is  partial,  im- 
perfect; but  God  estimates  all  things  as  they 
really  are.  The  drunkard  is  despised,  and  is 
told  that  his  sin  will  exclude  him  from  heaven ; 
while  pride,  selfishness,  and  covetousness  too 
often  go  unrebuked.  But  these  are  sins  that 
are  especially  offensive  to  God;  for  they  are 
contrary  to  the  benevolence  of  his  character, 
1  Rom.  7  :  9, 


36  STEPS    TO  CHRIST, 

to  that  unselfish  love  which  is  the  very  atmos- 
phere of  the  imfallen  universe.  He  who  falls 
into  some  of  the  grosser  sins  may  feel  a  sense 
of  his  shame  and  poverty  and  his  need  of  the 
grace  of  Christ;  but  pride  feels  no  need,  and 
so  it  closes  the  heart  against  Christ,  and  the 
infinite  blessings  he  came  to  give. 

The  poor  publican  who  prayed,  "  God  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"1  regarded  himself  as 
a  very  wicked  man,  and  others  looked  upon 
him  in  the  same  light;  but  he  felt  his  need, 
and  with  his  burden  of  guilt  and  shame  he 
came  before  God,  asking  for  his  mercy.  His 
heart  was  open  for  the  Spirit  of  God  to  do  its 
gracious  work,  and  set  him  free  from  the  power 
of  sin.  The  Pharisee's  boastful,  self-righteous 
prayer  showed  that  his  heart  was  closed  against 
the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Because  of 
his  distance  from  God,  he  had  no  sense  of  his 
own  defilement,  in  contrast  with  the  perfection 
of  the  divine  holiness.  He  felt  no  need,  and 
he  received  nothing. 

If  you  see  your  sinfulness,  do  not  wait  to 
make  yourself  better.  How  many  there  are 
who  think  they  are  not  good  enough  to  come 
1  Luke  18: 13. 


REPENTANCE. 


to  Christ.  Do  you  expect  to  become  better 
through  your  own  efforts?  "Can  the  Ethi- 
opian change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots  ? 
then  may  ye  also  do  good  that  are  accustomed 
to  do  evil."1  There  is  help  for  us  only  in  God. 
We  must  not  wait  for  stronger  persuasions,  for 
better  opportunities,  or  for  holier  tempers. 
We  can  do  nothing  of  ourselves.  We  must 
come  to  Christ  just  as  we  are. 

But  let  none  deceive  themselves  with  the 
thought  that  God,  in  his  great  love  and  mercy, 
will  yet  save  even  the  rejecters  of  his  grace. 
The  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin  can  be  esti- 
mated only  in  the  light  of  the  cross.  When 
men  urge  that  God  is  too  good  to  cast  off  the 
sinner,  let  them  look  to  Calvary.  It  was  be- 
cause there  was  no  other  way  in  which  man 
could  be  saved,  because  without  this  sacrifice 
it  was  impossible  for  the  human  race  to  escape 
from  the  defiling  power  of  sin,  ancbbe  restored 
to  communion  with  holy  beings, — impossible 
for  them  again  to  become  partakers  of  spirit- 
ual life, — it  was  because  of  this  that  Christ 
took  upon  himself  the  guilt  of  the  disobedient, 
and  suffered  in  the  sinner's  stead.  The  love 
1  Jer,  13  :  23. 


38  STEPS    TO  CHRIST. 

and  suffering  and  death  of  the  Son  of  God,  all 
testify  to  the  terrible  enormity  of  sin,  and  de- 
clare that  there  is  no  escape  from  its  power,  no 
hope  of  the  higher  life,  but  through  the  sub- 
mission of  the  soul  to  Christ. 

The  impenitent  sometimes  excuse  themselves 
by  saying  of  professed  Christians,  "  I  am  as 
good  as  they  are.  They  are  no  more  self-deny- 
ing, sober,  or  circumspect  in  their  conduct  than 
I  am.  They  love  pleasure  and  self-indulgence 
as  well  as  I  do."  Thus  they  make  the  faults 
of  others  an  excuse  for  their  own  neglect  of 
duty.  But  the  sins  and  defects  of  others  do 
not  excuse  any  one ;  for  the  Lord  has  not  given 
us  an  erring,  human  pattern.  The  spotless 
Son  of  God  has  been  given  as  our  example, 
and  those  who  complain  of  the  wrong  course  of 
professed  Christians  are  the  ones  who  should 
show  better  lives  and  nobler  examples.  If 
they  have  so  high  a  conception  of  what  a 
Christian  should  be,  is  not  their  own  sin  so 
much  the  greater?  They  know  what  is  right, 
and  yet  refuse  to  do  it. 

Beware  of  procrastination.  Do  not  put  off 
the  work  of  forsaking  your  sins,  and  seeking 
purity  of  heart  through  Jesus.     Here  is  where 


REPENTANCE.  39 

thousands  upon  thousands  have  erred,  to  their 
eternal  loss.  I  will  not  here  dwell  upon  the 
shortness  and  uncertainty  of  life ;  but  there  is 
a  terrible  danger — a  danger  not  sufficiently  un- 
derstood— in  delaying  to  yield  to  the  pleading 
voice  of  God's  Holy  Spirit,  in  choosing  to  live 
in  sin ;  for  such  this  delay  really  is.  Sin,  how- 
ever small  it  may  be  esteemed,  can  be  indulged 
in  only  at  the  peril  of  infinite  loss.  What  is 
not  overcome,  will  overcome  us,  and  work  out 
our  destruction. 

Adam  and  Eve  persuaded  themselves  that  in 
so  small  a  matter  as  eating  of  the  forbidden 
fruit,  there  could  not  result  such  terrible  con- 
sequences as  God  had  declared.  But  this 
small  matter  was  the  transgression  of  God's 
immutable  and  holy  law,  and  it  separated  man 
from  God,  and  opened  the  flood-gates  of  death 
and  untold  woe  upon  our  world.  Age  after 
age  there  has  gone  up  from  our  earth  a  con- 
tinual cry  of  mourning,  and  the  whole  creation 
groaneth  and  travaileth  together  in  pain,  as  a 
consequence  of  man's  disobedience.  Heaven 
itself  has  felt  the  effects  of  his  rebellion 
against  God.  Calvary  stands  as  a  memorial  of 
the  amazing  sacrifice  required  to  atone  for  the 


40  STEPS    TO    CHRIST. 

transgression  of  the   divine  law.     Let  us  not 
regard  sin  as  a  trivial  thing. 

Every  act  of  transgression,  every  neglect  or 
rejection  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  is  reacting 
upon  yourself;  it  is  hardening  the  heart,  de- 
praving the  will,  benumbing  the  understand- 
ing, and  not  only  making  you  less  inclined  to 
yield,  but  less  capable  of  yielding,  to  the  ten- 
der pleading  of  God's  Holy  Spirit. 

Many  are  quieting  a  troubled  conscience 
with  the  thought  that  they  can  change  a  course 
of  evil  when  they  choose;  that  they  can  trifle 
with  the  invitations  of  mercy,  and  yet  be  again 
and  again  impressed.  They  think  that  after 
doing  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace,  after  cast- 
ing their  influence  on  the  side  of  Satan,  in  a 
moment  of  terrible  extremity  they  can  change 
their  course.  But  this  is  not  so  easily  done. 
The  experience,  the  education,  of  a  life-time, 
has  so  thoroughly  moulded  the  character  that 
few  then  desire  to  receive  the  image  of  Jesus. 
Even  one  wrong  trait  of  character,  one  sin- 
ful desire,  persistently  cherished,  will  eventu- 
ally neutralize  all  the  power  of  the  gospel. 
Every  sinful  indulgence  strengthens  the  soul's 
aversion  to  God.      The  man  who  manifests  an 


REPENTANCE.  41 


infidel  hardihood,  or  a  stolid  indifference  to 
divine  truth,  is  but  reaping  the  harvest  of  that 
which  he  has  himself  sown.  In  all  the  Bible 
there  is  not  a  more  fearful  warning  against 
trifling  with  evil  than  the  words  of  the  wise 
man,  that  the  sinner  "  shall  be  holden  with  the 
cords  of  his  sins."1 

Christ  is  ready  to  set  us  free  from  sin,  but 
he  does  not  force  the  will ;  and  if  by  persistent 
transgression  the  will  itself  is  wholly  bent  on 
evil,  and  we  do  not  desire  to  be  set  free,  if  we 
will  not  accept  his  grace,  what  more  can  he  do  ? 
We  have  destroyed  ourselves  by  our  deter- 
mined rejection  of  his  love.  "  Behold,  now  is 
the  accepted  time ;  behold,  now  is  the  day  of 
salvation."  "  To-day  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice, 
harden  not  your  hearts."2 

"  Man  looketh  on  the  outward  appearance, 
but  the  Lord  looketh  on  the  heart,"3  the  human 
heart,  with  its  conflicting  emotions  of  joy  and 
sorrow,  the  wandering,  wayward  heart,  which 
is  the  abode  of  so  much  impurity  and  deceit. 
He  knows  its  motives,  its  very  intents  and  pur- 
poses.     Go  to  him  with  your  soul   all  stained 

iProv.  5:22.  ?2  Cor.  6  :  2  ,  Heb.  3  :  7,  8. 

31  Sam.  16:7. 
4 


42  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

as  it  is.  Like  the  Psalmist,  throw  its  cham- 
bers open  to  the  all-seeing  eye,  exclaiming, 
"Search  me,  O  God,  and  know  my  heart;  try 
me,  and  know  my  thoughts ;  and  see  if  there 
be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the 
way  everlasting.'" 

Many  accept  an  intellectual  religion,  a  form 
of  godliness,  when  the  heart  is  not  cleansed. 
Let  it  be  your  prayer,  "  Create  in  me  a  clean 
heart,  O  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within 
me."2  Deal  truly  with  your  own  soul.  Be  as 
earnest,  as  persistent,  as  you  would  be  if  your 
mortal  life  were  at  stake.  This  is  a  matter  to 
be  settled  between  God  and  your  own  soul, 
settled  for  eternity.  A  supposed  hope,  and 
nothing  more,  will  prove  your  ruin. 

Study  God's  word  prayerfully.  That  word 
presents  before  you,  in  the  law  of  God  and  the 
life  of  Christ,  the  great  principles  of  holiness, 
without  which  "  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."3 
It  convinces  of  sin;  it  plainly  reveals  the  way 
of  salvation.  Give  heed  to  it,  as  the  voice  of 
God  speaking  to  your  soul. 

As  you  see  the  enormity  of  sin,  as  you  see 
yourself  as  you  really  are,  do  not  give  up  to 

1  Ps.  139  :  23,  24.        2  Ps.  51 :  10.        »  Heb.  12  .  14. 


REPENTANCE.  43 


despair.  It  was  sinners  that  Christ  came  to 
save.  We  have  not  to  reconcile  God  to  us, 
but  —  0  wondrous  love !  —  God  in  Christ  is 
"reconciling  the  world  unto  himself."1  He  is 
wooing  by  his  tender  love  the  hearts  of  his 
erring  children.  No  earthly  parent  could  be 
as  patient  with  the  faults  and  mistakes  of  his 
children,  as  is  God  with  those  he  seeks  to  save. 
No  one  could  plead  more  tenderly  with  the 
transgressor.  No  human  lips  ever  poured  out 
more  tender  entreaties  to  the  wanderer  than 
does  he.  All  his  promises,  his  warnings,  are 
but  the  breathing  of  unutterable  love. 

When  Satan  comes  to  tell  you  that  you  are 
a  great  sinner,  look  up  to  your  Redeemer,  and 
talk  of  his  merits.  That  which  will  help  you 
is  to  look  to  his  light.  Acknowledge  your  sin, 
but  tell  the  enemy  that  "  Christ  Jesus  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners,"2  and  that  you 
may  be  saved  by  his  matchless  love.  Jesus 
asked  Simon  a  question  in  regard  to  two 
debtors.  One  owed  his  lord  a  small  sum,  and 
the  other  owed  him  a  very  large  sum ;  but  he 
forgave  them  both,  and  Christ  asked  Simon 
which  debtor  would  love  his  lord  most.  Simon 
*2  Cor.  5:19.  21  Tim.  1:15. 


44  STEPS    TO    CHRIST. 

answered,  "  He  to  whom  he  forgave  most."1 
We  have  been  great  sinners,  but  Christ  died 
that  we  might  be  forgiven.  The  merits  of  his 
sacrifice  are  sufficient  to  present  to  the  Father 
in  our  behalf.  Those  to  whom  he  has  forgiven 
most  will  love  him  most,  and  will  stand  nearest 
his  throne  to  praise  him  for  his  great  love  and 
infinite  sacrifice.  It  is  when  we  most  fully 
comprehend  the  love  of  God  that  we  best 
realize  the  sinfulness  of  sin.  When  we  see 
the  length  of  the  chain  that  was  let  down  for 
us,  when  we  understand  something  of  the  in- 
finite sacrifice  that  Christ  has  made  in  our 
behalf,  the  heart  is  melted  with  teuderness  and 

contrition. 

1  Luke  7  :  43. 


CONFESSION. 


11  He  that  covereth  his  sins  shall  not  pros- 
per; but  whoso  confesseth  and  forsaketh  them 
6hall  have  mercy."1 

The  conditions  of  obtaining  mercy  of  God. 
are  simple  and  just  and  reasonable.  The  Lord 
does  not  require  us  to  do  some  grievous  thing 
in  order  that  we  may  have  the  forgiveness  of 
sin.  We  need  not  make  long  and  wearisome 
pilgrimages,  or  perform  painful  penances,  to 
commend  our  souls  to  the  God  of  heaven  or  to 
expiate  our  transgression ;  but  he  that  confess- 
eth and  forsaketh  his  sin  shall  have  mercy. 

The  apostle  says,  "  Confess  your  faults  one 
to  another,  and  pray  one  for  another,  that  ye 
may  be  healed."2  Confess  your  sins  to  God: 
who  only  can  forgive  them,  and  your  faults  to 
one  another.  If  you  have  given  offense  to 
your  friend  or  neighbor,  you  are  to  acknowl- 
edge your  wrong,  and  it  is  his  duty  freely  to 
forgive  you.     Then  you  are  to  seek  the  for- 

1  Prov.  28  :  13.  2  James  5  :  16. 

[45] 


46  STEPS  TO   CHRIST. 

giveness  of  God,  because  the  brother  you  have 
wounded  is  the  property  of  God,  and  in  injur- 
ing him  you  sinned  against  his  Creator  and 
Redeemer.  The  case  is  brought  before  the 
only  true  mediator,  our  gi 'eat  High  Priest, 
who  "  was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are, 
yet  without  sin,"  and  who  is  "touched  with 
the  feeling  of  our  infirmities,"1  and  is  able  to 
cleanse  from  every  stain  of  iniquity. 

Those  who  have  not  humbled  their  souls 
before  God  in  acknowledging  their  guilt,  have 
not  yet  fulfilled  the  first  condition  of  accept- 
ance. If  we  have  not  experienced  that  repent- 
ance which  is  not  to  be  repented  of,  and  have 
not  with  true  humiliation  of  soul  and  broken- 
ness  of  spirit  confessed  our  sins,  abhorring  our 
iniquity,  we  have  never  truly  sought  for  the 
forgiveness  of  sin;  and  if  we  have  never 
sought,  we  have  never  found  the  peace  of  God. 
The  only  reason  why  we  do  not  have  remission 
of  sins  that  are  past  is  that  we  are  not  willing 
to  humble  our  hearts  and  comply  with  the 
conditions  of  the  word  of  truth.  Explicit  in- 
struction is  given  concerning  this  matter. 
Confession  of  sin,  whether  public  or  private, 
I  Heb.  4  :  15. 


CONFESSION.  47 


should  be  heartfelt,  and  freely  expressed.  It 
is  not  to  be  urged  from  the  sinner.  It  is  not 
to  be  made  in  a  flippant  and  careless  way,  or 
forced  from  those  who  have  no  realizing  sense 
of  the  abhorrent  character  of  sin.  The  con- 
fession that  is  the  outpouring  of  the  inmost 
soul  finds  its  way  to  the  God  of  infinite  pity. 
The  Psalmist  says,  "  The  Lord  is  nigh  unto 
them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart;  and  saveth 
such  as  be  of  a  contrite  spirit."1 

True  confession  is  always  of  a  specific  char- 
acter, and  acknowledges  particular  sins.  They 
may  be  of  such  a  nature  as  to  be  brought 
before  God  only;  they  may  be  wrongs  that 
should  be  confessed  to  individuals  who  have 
suffered  injury  through  them;  or  they  may  be 
of  a  public  character,  and  should  then  be  as 
publicly  confessed.  But  all  confession  should 
be  definite  and  to  the  point,  acknowledging 
the  very  sins  of  which  you  are  guilty. 

In  the  days  of  Samuel,  the  Israelites  wan- 
dered from  God.  They  were  suffering  the 
consequences  of  sin;  for  they  had  lost  their 
faith  in  God,  lost  their  discernment  of  his 
power  and  wisdom  to  rule  the  nation,  lost 
JPs.  34:18. 


48  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

their  confidence  in  his  ability  to  defend  and 
vindicate  his  cause.  They  turned  from  the 
great  Ruler  of  the  universe,  and  desired  to 
be  governed  as  were  the  nations  around  them. 
Before  they  found  peace,  they  made  this  defi- 
nite confession :  '  We  have  added  unto  all  our 
sins  this  evil,  to  ask  us  a  king. '  *  The  very  sin 
of  which  they  were  convicted  had  to  be  con- 
fessed. Their  ingratitude  oppressed  their 
souls,   and  severed  them  from  God. 

Confession  will  not  be  acceptable  to  God 
without  sincere  repentance  and  reformation. 
There  must  be  decided  changes  in  the  life ; 
everything  offensive  to  God  must  be  put 
away.  This  will  be  the  result  of  genuine  sor- 
row for  sin.  The  work  that  we  have  to  do  on 
our  part  is  plainly  set  before  us  :  "  Wash  you, 
make  you  clean ;  put  away  the  evil  of  your 
doings  from  before  mine  eyes ;  cease  to  do 
evil,  learn  to  do  well ;  seek  judgment,  relieve 
the  oppressed,  judge  the  fatherless,  plead  for 
the  widow. " 2  "  If  the  wicked  restore  the  pledge, 
give  again  that  he  had  robbed,  walk  in  the 
statutes  of  life,  without  committing  iniquity ; 
he  shall  surely  live,  he  shall  not  die."3     Paul 

1 1  Sam.  12  :  19.        2Isa.  1 :  16,  17.        8Eze.  33  :  15. 


CONFESSION.  49 


says,  speaking  of  the  work  of  repentance, 
"  Ye  sorrowed  after  a  godly  sort;  what  careful- 
ness it  wrought  in  you,  yea,  what  clearing  of 
yourselves;  yea,  what  indignation;  yea,  what 
fear;  yea,  what  vehement  desire;  yea,  what 
zeal;  yea,  what  revenge!  In  all  things  ye 
have  approved  yourselves  to  be  clear  in  this 
matter."1 

When  sin  has  deadened  the  moral  percep- 
tions, the  wrong-doer  does  not  discern  the  de- 
fects of  his  character,  nor  realize  the  enormity 
of  the  evil  he  has  committed;  and  unless  he 
yields  to  the  convicting  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  he  remains  in  partial  blindness  to  his 
sin.  His  confessions  are  not  sincere  and  in 
earnest.  To  every  acknowledgment  of  his 
guilt  he  adds  an  apology  in  excuse  of  his 
course,  declaring  that  if  it  had  not  been  for 
certain  circumstances,  he  would  not  have  done 
this  or  that,  for  which  he  is  reproved. 

After  Adam  and  Eve  had  eaten  of  the  for- 
bidden fruit,  they  were  rilled  with  a  sense  of 
shame  and  terror.  At  first  their  only  thought 
was  how  to  excuse  their  sin,  and  escape  the 
dreaded  sentence  of  death.  When  the  Lord 
1 2  Cor.  7:11. 


50  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 


inquired  concerning  their  sin,  Adam  replied, 
laying  the  guilt  partly  upon  God  and  partly 
upon  his  companion:  "The  woman  whom  thou 
gavest  to  be  with  me,  she  gave  me  of  the  tree, 
and  I  did  eat."  The  woman  put  the  blame 
upon  the  serpent,  saying,  "  The  serpent  be-, 
guiled  me.  and  I  did  eat."1  Why  did  you  make 
the  serpent  ?  Why  did  you  suffer  him  to  come 
into  Eden  ?  These  were  the  questions  implied 
in  her  excuse  for  her  sin,  thus  charging  God 
with  the  responsibility  of  their  fall.  The 
spirit  of  self -justification  originated  in  the 
father  of  lies,  and  has  been  exhibited  by  all 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  Adam.  Confessions 
of  this  order  are  not  inspired  by  the  divine 
Spirit,  and  will  not  be  acceptable  to  God.  True 
repentance  will  lead  a  man  to  bear  his  guilt 
himself,  and  acknowledge  it  without  deception 
or  hypocrisy.  Like  the  poor  publican,  not 
lifting  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  unto  heaven,  he 
will  cry,  "God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"  and 
those  who  do  acknowledge  their  guilt  will  be 
justified ;  for  Jesus  will  plead  his  blood  in  be- 
half of  the  repentant  soul. 

The  examples  in  God's  word  of  genuine  re- 

'Gen.  3:12,  13. 


CONFESSION.  51 


pentance  and  humiliation  reveal  a  spirit  of  con- 
fession in  which  there  is  no  excuse  for  sin,  or 
attempt  at  self -justification.  Paul  did  not  seek 
to  shield  himself ;  he  paints  his  sin  in  its  dark- 
est hue,  not  attempting  to  lessen  his  guilt.  He 
says:  "Many  of  the  saints  did  I  shut  up  in 
prison,  having  received  authority  from  the 
chief  priests;  and  when  they  were  put  to  death, 
I  gave  my  voice  against  them.  And  I  pun- 
ished them  oft  in  every  synagogue,  and  com- 
pelled them  to  blaspheme;  and  being  exceed- 
ingly mad  against  them,  I  persecuted  them 
even  unto  strange  cities."1  He  does  not  hesi- 
tate to  declare  that  "  Christ  Jesus  came  into 
the  world  to  save  sinners;  of  whom  I  am  chief." 
The  humble  and  broken  heart,  subdued  by 
genuine  repentance,  will  appreciate  something 
of  the  love  of  God  and  the  cost  of  Calvary; 
and  as  a  son  confesses  to  a  loving  father,  so 
will  the  truly  penitent  bring  all  his  sins  before 
God.  Audit  is  written,  "If  we  confess  our 
sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our 
sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteous- 
ness."2 

1  Acts  26  :  10,  11.  2 1  John  1 :  9. 


CONSECEATION. 


God's  promise  is,  "Ye  shall  seek  me,  and 
find  me,  when  ye  shall  search  for  me  with  all 
your  heart."1 

The  whole  heart  must  be  yielded  to  God,  or 
the  change  can  never  be  wrought  in  us  by 
which  we  are  to  be  restored  to  his  likeness. 
By  nature  we  are  alienated  from  God.  The 
Holy  Spirit  describes  our  condition  in  such 
words  as  these  :  "  Dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  ;  " 
< { the  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  whole  heart 
faint;"  "no  soundness  in  it."  We  are  held 
fast  in  the  snare  of  Satan ;  c t  taken  captive  by 
him  at  his  will.""  God  desires  to  heal  us,  to 
set  us  free.  But  since  this  requires  an  entire 
transformation,  a  renewing  of  our  whole 
nature,  we  must  yield  ourselves  wholly  to 
him. 

The  warfare  against  self  is  the  greatest  bat- 
tle that  was  ever  fought.  The  yielding  of  self, 
surrendering  all  to  the  will  of  God,  requires  a. 

1  Jer   29  :  13.    2  Eph.  2:1;  Isa.  1  :  5,  6  ;  2  Tim.  2  :  2G. 
[52] 


CONSECRATION.  53 

struggle ;  but  the  soul  must  submit  to  God  be- 
fore it  can  be  renewed  in  holiness. 

The  government  of  God  is  not,  as  Satan 
would  make  it  appear,  founded  upon  a  blind 
submission,  an  unreasoning  control.  It  appeals 
to  the  intellect  and  the  conscience.  "  Come 
now,  and  let  us  reason  together,"1  is  the  Crea- 
tor's invitation  to  the  beings  he  has  made. 
God  does  not  force  the  will  of  his  creatures. 
He  can  not  accept  an  homage  that  is  not  will- 
ingly and  intelligently  given.  A  mere  forced 
submission  would  prevent  all  real  development 
of  mind  or  character;  it  would  make  man  a 
mere  automaton.  Such  is  not  the  purpose  of 
the  Creator.  He  desires  that  man,  the  crown- 
ing work  of  his  creative  power,  shall  reach  the 
highest  possible  development.  He  sets  before 
us  the  height  of  blessing  to  which  he  desires 
to  bring  us,  through  his  grace.  He  invites  us 
to  give  ourselves  to  him,  that  he  may  work  his 
will  in  us.  It  remains  for  us  to  choose  wheth- 
er we  will  be  set  free  from  the  bondage  of  sin, 
to  share  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God. 
In  giving  ourselves  to  God,  we  must  neces- 
sarily give  up  all  that  would  separate  us  from 
Usa.  1:18. 


54  STEPS  TO   CHRIST. 

him.  Hence  the  Saviour  says,  4  4  Whosoever  he 
be  of  you  that  forsaketh  not  all  that  he  hath 
he  can  not  be  my  disciple."1  "Whatever  shall 
draw  away  the  heart  from  God  must  be  given 
up.  Mammon  is  the  idol  of  many.  The  love 
of  money,  the  desire  for  wealth,  is  the  golden 
chain  that  binds  them  to  Satan.  Keputation 
and  worldly  honor  are  worshipped  by  another 
class.  The  life  of  selfish  ease  and  freedom 
from  responsibility  is  the  idol  of  others.  But 
these  slavish  bands  must  be  broken.  We  can- 
not be  half  the  Lord's  and  half  the  world's. 
We  are  not  God's  children  unless  we  are  such 
entirely.  There  are  those  who  profess  to  serve 
God,  while  they  rely  upon  their  own  efforts  to 
obey  his  law,  to  form  a  right  character,  and  se- 
cure salvation.  Their  hearts  are  not  moved  by 
any  deep  sense  of  the  love  of  Christ,  but  they 
seek  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  Christian  life 
as  that  which  God  requires  of  them  in  order  to 
gain  heaven.  Such  religion  is  worth  nothing. 
When  Christ  dwells  in  the  heart,  the  soul  will 
be  so  filled  with  his  love,  with  the  joy  of  com- 
munion with  him,  that  it  will  cleave  to  him  ;  and 
in  the  contemplation  of  him,  self  will  be  for- 
y  Luke  14 :  33. 


CONSECRATION.  55 

gotten.  Love  to  Christ  will  be  the  spring  of 
action.  Those  who  feel  the  constraining  love 
of  God  do  not  ask  how  little  may  be  given,  to 
meet  the  requirements  of  God ;  they  do  not  ask 
for  the  lowest  standard,  but  aim  at  perfect  con- 
formity to  the  will  of  their  Redeemer.  With 
earnest  desire  they  yield  all,  and  manifest  an 
interest  proportionate  to  the  value  of  the  ob- 
ject which  they  seek.  A  profession  of  Christ 
without  this  deep  love,  is  mere  talk,  dry  for- 
mality, and  heavy  drudgery. 

Do  you  feel  that  it  is  too  great  a  sacrifice  to 
yield  all  to  Christ?  Ask  yourself  the  ques- 
tion, "What  has  Christ  given  for  me?"  The 
Son  of  God  gave  all — life  and  love  and  suffer- 
ing— for  our  redemption.  And  can  it  be  that 
we,  the  unworthy  objects  of  so  great  love,  will 
withhold  our  hearts  from  him?  Every  mo- 
ment of  our  lives  we  have  been  partakers  of 
the  blessings  of  his  grace,  and  for  this  very 
reason  we  can  not  fully  realize  the  depths  of 
ignorance  and  misery  from  which  we  have  been 
saved.  Can  we  look  upon  him  whom  our  sins 
have  pierced,  and  yet  be  willing  to  do  despite 
to  all  his  love  and  sacrifice  ?  In  view  of  the 
infinite  humiliation  of  the  Lord  of  glory,  shall 


56  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

we  murmur  because  we  can  enter  into  life  only 
through  conflict  and  self-abasement  ? 

The  inquiry  of  many  a  proud  heart  is,  "Why 
need  I  go  in  penitence  and  humiliation  before  I 
can  have  the  assurance  of  my  acceptance  with 
God?"  I  point  you  to  Christ.  He  was  sinless, 
and  more  than  this,  he  was  the  Prince  of 
heaven;  but  in  man's  behalf  he  became  sin  for 
the  race.  "  He  was  numbered  with  the  trans- 
gressors; and  he  bare  the  sins  of  many,  and 
made  intercession  for  the  transgressors."1 

But  what  do  we  give  up,  when  we  give  all  ? 
A  sin-polluted  heart  for  Jesus  to  purify,  to 
cleanse  by  his  own  blood,  and  to  save  by  his 
matchless  love.  And  yet  men  think  it  hard  to 
give  up  all!  I  am  ashamed  to  hear  it  spoken 
of,  ashamed  to  write  it. 

God  does  not  require  us  to  give  up  any- 
thing that  it  is  for  our  best  interest  to  retain. 
In  all  that  he  does,  he  has  the  well-being  of 
his  children  in  view.  Would  that  all  who 
have  not  chosen  Christ  might  realize  that  he 
has  something  vastly  better  to  offer  them  than 
they  are  seeking  for  themselves.  Man  is 
doing  the  greatest  injury  and  injustice  to  his 
^sa.  53:12. 


CONSECRATION.  57 

own  soul  when  he  thinks  and  acts  contrary  to 
the  will  of  God.  No  real  joy  can  be  found  in 
the  path  forbidden  by  him  who  knows  what 
is  best,  and  who  plans  for  the  good  of  his 
creatures.  The  path  of  transgression  is  the 
path  of  misery  and  destruction. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  entertain  the  thought  that 
God  is  pleased  to  see  his  children  suffer. 
All  heaven  is  interested  in  the  happiness  of 
man.  Our  Heavenly  Father  does  not  close 
the  avenues  of  joy  to  any  of  his  creatures. 
The  divine  requirements  call  upon  us  to 
shun  those  indulgences  that  would  bring 
suffering  and  disappointment,  that  would  close 
to  us  the  door  of  happiness  and  heaven.  The 
world's  Redeemer  accepts  men  as  they  are, 
with  all  their  wants,  imperfections,  and  weak- 
nesses; and  he  will  not  only  cleanse  from  sin 
and  grant  redemption  through  his  blood,  but 
will  satisfy  the  heart-longing  of  all  who  con- 
sent to  wear  his  yoke,  to  bear  his  burden. 
It  is  his  purpose  to  impart  peace  and  rest  to 
all  who  come  to  him  for  the  bread  of  life.  He 
requires  us  to  perform  only  those  duties  that 
will  lead  our  steps  to  heights  of  bliss  to  which 
ike  disobedient  can  never  attain.     The  true, 


58  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

joyous  life  of  the  soul  is  to  have  Christ  formed 
within,  the  hope  of  glory. 

Many  are  inquiring,  "  How  am  I  to  make 
the  surrender  of  myself  to  God?"  You  desire 
to  give  yourself  to  him,  but  you  are  weak 
in  moral  power,  in  slavery  to  doubt,  and  con- 
trolled by  the  habits  of  your  life  of  sin.  Your 
promises  and  resolutions  are  like  ropes  of  sand. 
You  cannot  control  your  thoughts,  your  im- 
pulses, your  affections.  The  knowledge  of 
your  broken  promises  and  forfeited  pledges 
weakens  your  confidence  in  your  own  sincerity, 
and  causes  you  to  feel  that  God  cannot  accept 
you;  but  you  need  not  despair.  What  you 
need  to  understand  is  the  true  force  of  the 
will.  This  is  the  governing  power  in  the 
nature  of  man,  the  power  of  decision,  or  of 
choice.  Everything  depends  on  the  right 
action  of  the  will.  The  power  of  choice  God 
has  given  to  men;  it  is  theirs  to  exercise.  You 
cannot  change  your  heart,  you  cannot  of  your- 
self give  to  God  its  affections ;  but  you  can  choose 
to  serve  him.  You  can  give  him  your  will, 
he  will  then  work  in  you  to  will  and  to  do  ac- 
cording to  his  good  pleasure.  Thus  your 
whole  nature  will  be  brought  under  the  con- 


CONSECRA  TION.  5  9 

trol  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ;  your  affections 
will  be  centered  upon  him,  your  thoughts  will 
be  in  harmony  with  him. 

Desires  for  goodness  and  holiness  are  right 
as  far  as  they  go ;  but  if  you  stop  here,  they 
will  avail  nothing.  Many  will  be  lost  while 
hoping  and  desiring  to  be  Christians.  They 
do  not  come  to  the  point  of  yielding  the  will 
to  God.  They  do  not  now  choose  to  be 
Christians. 

Through  the  right  exercise  of  the  will,  an 
entire  change  may  be  made  in  your  life.  By 
yielding  up  your  will  to  Christ,  you  ally  your- 
self with  the  power  that  is  above  all  principal- 
ities and  powers.  You  will  have  strength 
from  above  to  hold  you  steadfast,  and  thus 
through  constant  surrender  to  God  you  will  be 
enabled  to  live  the  new  life,  even  the  life  of 
faith. 


FAITH  AND  ACCEPTANCE. 


As  your  conscience  lias  been  quickened  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  you  have  seen  something  of 
the  evil  of  sin,  of  its  power,  its  guilt,  its  woe; 
and  you  look  upon  it  with  abhorrence.  You 
feel  that  sin  has  separated  you  from  God,  that 
you  are  in  bondage  to  the  power  of  evil.  The 
more  you  struggle  to  escape,  the  more  you 
realize  your  helplessness.  Your  motives  are 
impure;  your  heart  is  unclean.  You  see  that 
your  life  has  been  filled  with  selfishness  and 
sin.  You  long  to  be  forgiven,  to  be  cleansed, 
to  be  set  free.  Harmony  with  God,  likeness 
to  him, — what  can  you  do  to  obtain  it  ? 

It  is  peace  that  you  need, — Heaven's  for- 
giveness and  peace  and  love  in  the  soul. 
Money  cannot  buy  it,  intellect  cannot  procure 
it,  wisdom  cannot  attain  to  it;  you  can  never 
hope,  by  your  own  effort,  to  secure  it.  But 
God  offers  it  to  you  as  a  gift,  "  without  money 
and  without  price."  1     It  is  yours,  if  you  will 

1  Isa.  55  :  1. 
[GO] 


FAITH   AND    ACCEPTANCE.  $i 

but  reach  out  your  hand  and  grasp  it.  The 
Lord  says,  "  Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet, 
they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow;  though  they 
be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool."  * 
"A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new 
spirit  will  I  put  within  you."  2 

You  have  confessed  your  sins,  and  in  heart 
put  them  away.  You  have  resolved  to  give 
yourself  to  'God.  Now  go  to  him,  and  ask 
that  he  will  wash  away  your  sins,  and  give  you 
a  new  heart.  Then  believe  that  he  does  this 
because  he  has  promised.  This  is  the  lesson 
which  Jesus  taught  while  he  was  on  earth, 
that  the  gift  which  God  promises  us,  we  must 
believe  we  do  receive,  and  it  is  ours.  Jesus 
healed  the  people  of  their  diseases  when  they 
had  faith  in  his  power ;  he  helped  them  in  the 
things  which  they  could  see,  thus  inspir- 
ing them  with  confidence  in  him  concerning 
things  which  they  could  not  see, —  leading 
them  to  believe  in  his  power  to  forgive  sins. 
This  he  plainly  stated  in  the  healing  of  the 
man  sick  with  palsy:  "  That  ye  may  know  thai 
the  Son  of  man  hath  power  cm  earth  to  forgive 
sins,  (then  saith  he  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy,) 
Usa.  1:18.  2Eze.  36:26. 


62  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

Arise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  go  unto  thine 
house." l  So  also  John  the  evangelist  says, 
speaking  of  the  miracles  of  Christ,  "  These 
things  are  written  that  ye  might  believe  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  that 
believing  ye  might  have  life  through  his 
name. 

From  the  simple  Bible  account  of  how 
Jesus  healed  the  sick  we  may  learn  something 
about  how  to  believe  in  him  for  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins.  Let  us  turn  to  the  story  of  the 
paralytic  at  Bethesda.  The  poor  sufferer  was 
helpless;  he  had  not  used  his  limbs  for 
thirty-eight  years.  Yet  Jesus  bade  him, 
"  Bise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  walk."  The 
sick  man  might  have  said,  "Lord,  if  thou  wilt 
make  me  whole,  I  will  obey  thy  word."  But 
no,  he  believed  Christ's  word,  believed  that  he 
was  made  whole,  and  he  made  the  effort  at 
once;  he  icilled  to  walk,. and  he  did  walk.  He 
acted  on  the  word  of  Christ,  and  God  gave  the 
power.     He  was  made  whole. 

In  like  manner  you  are  a  sinner.     You  can- 
not   atone    for    your    past    sins,    you    cannot 
change  your  heart,   and  make  yourself  holy. 
1  Matt.  9:6.  2  John  20:  31. 


FAITH    AND   ACCEPTANCE.  63 

But  God  promises  to  do  all  this  for  you 
through  Christ.  You  believe  that  promise. 
You  confess  your  sins,  and  give  yourself  to 
God.  You  will  to  serve  him.  Just  as  surely 
as  you  do  this,  God  will  fulfill  his  word  to  you. 
If  you  believe  the  promise,  —  believe  that  you 
are  forgiven  and  cleansed,  —  God  supplies  the 
fact;  you  are  made  whole,  just  as  Christ  gave 
the  paralytic  power  to  walk  when  the  man 
believed  that  he  was  healed.  It  is  so  if  you 
believe  it. 

Do  not  wait  to  feel  that  you  are  made  whole, 
but  say,  "I  believe  it;  it  is  so,  not  because  1 
feel  it,  but  because  God  has  promised." 

Jesus  says,  "  What  things  soever  ye  desire, 
when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive  them 
and  ye  shall  have  them."  1  There  is  a  con- 
dition  to  this  promise, — that  we  pray  accord- 
ing to  the  will  of  God.  But  it  is  the  will  of 
God  to  cleanse  us  from  sin,  to  make  us  his 
children,  and  to  enable  us  to  live  a  holy  life. 
So  we  may  ask  for  these  blessings,  and  believe 
that  we  receive  them,  and  thank  God  that  we 
have  received  them.  It  is  our  privilege  to  go 
to  Jesus  and  be  cleansed,  and  to  stand  before 
1  Mark  11 -24. 


64  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

the  law  without  shame  or  remorse.  "  There 
is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them 
which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk  not  after 
the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit."  1 

Henceforth  you  are  not  your  own;  you  are 
bought  with  a  price.  < '  Ye  were  not  redeemed 
with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and  gold,  .  . 
.  .  but  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of 
a  lamb  without  blemish  and  without  spot."  2 
Through  this  simple  act  of  believing  God,  the 
Holy  Spirit  has  begotten  a  new  life  in  your 
heart.  You  are  as  a  child  born  into  the  family 
of  God,  and  he  loves  you  as  he  loves  his  Son. 

Now  that  you  have  given  yourself  to  Jesus, 
do  not  draw  back,  do  not  take  yourself  away 
from  him,  but  day  by  day  say,  "I  am  Christ's; 
I  have  given  myself  to  him;"  and  ask  him 
to  give  you  his  Spirit,  and  keep  you  by 
his  grace.  As  it  is  by  giving  yourself  to 
God,  and  believing  him,  that  you  become  his 
child,  so  you  are  to  live  in  him.  The  apostle 
says,  "  As  ye  have  therefore  received  Christ 
Jesus  the  Lord,  so  walk  ye  in  him."  8 

Some  seem  to  feel  that  they  must  be  on  pro- 
bation, and  must  prove  to  the  Lord  that  they 
'Rom.  8:1  21  Peter  1 :  18,  19.         3Col.  2:G 


FAITH   AND   ACCEPTANCE.  G5 

are  reformed,  before  they  can  claim  his  bless- 
ing. But  they  may  claim  the  blessing  of  God 
even  now.  They  must  have  his  grace,  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  to  help  their  infirmities,  or 
they  cannot  resist  evil.  Jesus  loves  to  have 
us  come  to  him  just  as  we  are,  sinful,  helpless, 
dependent.  We  may  come  with  all  our  weak- 
aess,  our  folly,  our  sinfulness,  and  fall  at  his 
feet  in  penitence.  It  is  his  glory  to  encircle 
us  in  the  arms  of  his  love  and  to  bind  up  our 
wounds,  to  cleanse  us  from  all  impurity. 

Here  is  where  thousands  fail:  they  do  not 
believe  that  Jesus  pardons  them  personally, 
individually.  They  do  not  take  God  at  his 
word.  It  is  the  privilege  of  all  who  comply 
with  the  conditions,  to  know  for  themselves 
that  pardon  is  freely  extended  for  every  sin. 
Put  away  the  suspicion  that  God's  promises 
are  not  meant  for  you.  They  are  for  every  re- 
pentant transgressor.  Strength  and  grace 
have  been  provided  through  Christ  to  be 
brought  by  ministering  angels  to  every  be- 
lieving soul.  None  are  so  sinful  that  they  can 
not  find  strength,  purity,  and  righteousness  in 
Jesus,  who  died  for  them.  He  is  waiting  to 
strip  them  of  their  garments  stained  and  pol- 


66  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

luted  with  sin,  and  to  put  upon  them  the  white 
robes  of  righteousness ;  he  bids  them  live,  and 
not  die. 

God  does  not  deal  with  us  as  finite  men  deal 
with  one  another.  His  thoughts  are  thoughts 
of  mercy,  love,  and  tenderest  compassion.  He 
says,  "Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the 
unrighteous  man  his  thoughts ;  and  let  him  re- 
turn unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy 
upon  him ;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abund- 
antly pardon."  "  I  have  blotted  out,  as  a  thick 
cloud,  thy  transgressions,  and,  as  a  cloud,  thy 
sins."1 

"  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him 
that  dieth,  saith  the  Lord  God;  wherefore  turn 
yourselves,  and  live  ye."2  Satan  is  ready  to 
steal  away  the  blessed  assurances  of  God.  He 
desires  to  take  every  glimmer  of  hope  and 
every  ray  of  light  from  the  soul ;  but  you  must 
not  permit  him  to  do  this.  Do  not  give  ear  to 
the  tempter,  but  say,  "Jesus  has  died  that  I 
might  live.  He  loves  me,  and  wills  not  that  I 
should  perish.  I  have  a  compassionate  Heav- 
enly Father;  and  although  I  have  abused  his 
love,  though  the  blessings  he  has  given  me 
»Isa.  55:7:  44:22.  2Eze.  18:32. 


FAITH   AND    ACCEPTANCE.  fc>7 

have  been  squandered,  I  will  arise,  and  go  to 
my  Father,  and  say,  'I  have  sinned  against 
heaven,  and  before  thee,  and  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy  son;  make  me  as  one 
of  thy  hired  servants.'"  The  parable  tells 
you  how  the  wanderer  will  be  received: 
"  When  he  teas  yet  a  greed  way  off,  his  father 
saw  him,  and  had  compassion,  and  ran,  and 
fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him."  1 

But  even  this  parable,  tender  and  touching 
as  it  is,  comes  short  of  expressing  the  infinite 
compassion  of  the  Heavenly  Father.  The 
Lord  declares  by  his  prophet,  "  I  have  loved 
thee  with  an  everlasting  love ;  therefore  with 
loving  kindness  have  I  drawn  thee."2  While 
the  sinner  is  yet  far  from  the  Father's  house, 
wasting  his  substance  in  a  strange  country, 
the  Father's  heart  is  yearning  over  him; 
and  every  longing  awakened  in  the  soul  to  re- 
tarn  to  God,  is  but  the  tender  pleading  of  his 
Spirit,  wooing,  entreating,  drawing  the  wan- 
derer to  his  Father's  heart  of  love. 

With  the  rich  promises  of  the  Bible  before 
you,  can  you  give  place  to  doubt?  Can  you 
believe  that  when  the  poor  sinner  longs  to  re- 
1  Luke  15 ;  18-20.  2  jer   31 .  3 


68  STEPS    TO    CHRIST. 

turn,  longs  to  forsake  his  sins,  the  Lord  stern- 
ly withholds  him  from  coming  to  his  feet  in 
repentance  ?  Away  with  such  thoughts !  Noth- 
ing can  hurt  your  own  soul  more  than  to  en- 
tertain such  a  conception  of  our  Heavenly 
Father.  He  hates  sin,  but  he  loves  the  sin- 
ner, and  he  gave  Himself,  in  the  person  of 
Christ,  that  all  who  would,  might  be  saved, 
and  have  eternal  blessedness  in  the  kingdom 
of  glory.  What  stronger  or  more  tender  lan- 
guage could  have  been  employed  than  he  has 
chosen  in  which  to  express  his  love  toward  us  ? 
He  declares,  "  Can  a  woman  forget  her  sucking 
child,  that  she  should  not  have  compassion  on 
the  son  of  her  womb?  Yea,  they  may  forget; 
yet  will  I  not  forget  thee."1 

Look  up,  you  that  are  doubting  and  tremb- 
ling; for  Jesus  lives  to  make  intercession  for 
us.  Thank  God  for  the  gift  of  his  dear  Son, 
and  pray  that  he  may  not  have  died  for  you 
in  vain.  The  Spirit  invites  you  to-day.  Come 
with  your  whole  heart  to  Jesus,  and  you  may 
claim  his  blessing. 

As  you  read  the  promises,  remember  they 
are  the  expression  of  unutterable  love  and 
^sa.  49:15. 


FAITH   AND    ACCEPTANCE.  69 

pity.  The  great  heart  of  Infinite  Love  is 
drawn  toward  the  sinner  with  boundless  com- 
passion. "  We  have  redemption  through  his 
blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins."1  Yes,  only 
believe  that  God  is  your  helper.  He  wants  to 
restore  his  moral  image  in  man.  As  you 
draw  near  to  him  with  confession  and  repent- 
ance, he  will  draw  near  to  you  with  mercy 
and  forgiveness. 

^ph.  1:7. 


THE    TEST    OF    DISCIPLESHIP. 


"  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  crea- 
ture; old  things  are  passed  away;  behold,  all 
things  are  become  new."  ! 

A  person  may  not  be  able  to  tell  the  exact 
time  or  place,  or  to  trace  all  the  chain  of  cir- 
cumstances in  the  process  of  conversion;  but 
this  does  not  prove  him  to  be  unconverted. 
Christ  said  to  Nicodemus,  "  The  wind  bloweth 
where  it  listeth,  and  thou  nearest  the  sound 
thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh, 
and  whither  it  goeth;  so  is  every  one  that  is 
born  of  the  Spirit."  2  Like  the  wind,  which  is 
invisible,  yet  the  effects  of  which  are  plainly 
seen  and  felt,  is  the  Spirit  of  God  in  its  work 
upon  the  human  heart.  That  regenerating 
power,  which  no  human  eye  can  see,  begets  a 
new  life  in  the  soul ;  it  creates  a  new  being  in 
the  image  of  God. 

While  the  work  of  the  Spirit  is  silent  and 
imperceptible,  its  effects  are  manifest.     If  the 

1 2  Cor.  5  ;  17.  2  John  3  :  8. 

[70] 


THE    TEST    OF    DISCIPLESHIP.  71 

heart  has  been  renewed  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
the  life  will  bear  witness  to  the  fact.  While 
we  cannot  do  anything  to  change  our  hearts, 
or  to  bring  ourselves  into  harmony  with  God; 
while  we  must  not  trust  at  all  to  ourselves  or 
our  good  works,  our  lives  will  reveal  whether 
the  grace  of  God  is  dwelling  within  us.  A 
change  will  be  seen  in  the  character,  the 
habits,  the  pursuits.  The  contrast  will  be 
clear  and  decided  between  what  they  have  been 
and  what  they  are.  The  character  is  revealed, 
not  by  occasional  good  deeds  and  occasional 
misdeeds,  but  by  the  tendency  of  the  habitual 
words  and  acts. 

It  is  true  that  there  may  be  an  outward  cor- 
rectness of  deportment  without  the  renewing 
power  of  Christ.  The  love  of  influence  and 
the  desire  for  the  esteem  of  others  may  pro- 
duce a  well-ordered  life.  Self-respect  may 
lead  us  to  avoid  the  appearance  of  evil.  A 
selfish  heart  may  perform  generous  actions. 
By  what  means,  then,  shall  we  determine 
whose  side  we  are  on? 

Who  has  the  heart?  With  whom  are  our 
thoughts  ?  Of  whom  do  we  love  to  converse  ? 
Who  has  our  warmest  affections  and  our  best 


72  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 


energies?  If  we  are  Christ's,  our  thoughts 
are  with  him,  and  our  sweetest  thoughts  are 
of  him.  All  that  we  have  and  are  is  conse 
crated  to  him.  We  long  to  bear  his  image, 
breathe  his  spirit,  do  his  will  and  please  him 
in  all  things. 

Those  who  become  new  creatures  in  Christ 
Jesus  will  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
"  love,  joy,  peace,  long-  suffering,  gentleness, 
goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance."  They 
will  no  longer  fashion  themselves  according  to 
the  former  lusts,  but  by  the  faith  of  the  Son 
of  God  they  will  follow  in  his  steps,  reflect 
his  character,  and  purify  themselves  even  as 
he  is  pure.  The  things  they  once  hated,  they 
now  love;  and  the  things  they  once  loved,  tbey 
hate.  The  proud  and  self-assertive  become 
meek  and  lowly  in  heart.  The  vain  and 
supercilious  become  serious  and  unobtrusive. 
The  drunken  become  sober,  and  the  profligate 
pure.  The  vain  customs  and  fashions  of  the 
world  are  laid  aside.  Christians  will  seek  not 
the  "  outward  adorning,"  but  "  the  hidden  man 
of  the  heart,  in  that  which  is  not  corruptible, 
even  the  ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit."  7 
1 1  Peter  3  :  3,  4. 


THE    TEST    OF    DISCIPLESHIP.  73 

There  is  no  evidence  of  genuine  repentance, 
unless  it  works  reformation.  If  lie  restore  the 
pledge,  give  again  that  he  had  robbed,  confess 
his  sins,  and  love  God  and  his  fellow-men,  the 
sinner  may  be  sure  that  he  has  passed  from 
death  unto  life. 

When  as  erring,  sinful  beings  we  come  to 
Christ  and  become  partakers  of  his  pardoning 
grace,  love  springs  up  in  the  heart.  Every 
burden  is  light;  for  the  yoke  that  Christ 
imposes  is  easy.  Duty  becomes  a  delight, 
and  sacrifice  a  pleasure.  The  path  that  before 
seemed  shrouded  in  darkness,  becomes  bright 
with  beams  from  the  Sun  of  Bighteousness. 

The  loveliness  of  the  character  of  Christ  will 
be  seen  in  his  followers.  It  was  his  delight 
to  do  the  will  of  God.  Love  to  God,  zeal  for 
his  glory,  was  the  controlling  power  in  our 
Saviour's  life.  Love  beautified  and  ennobled 
all  his  actions.  Love  is  of  God.  The  uncon- 
secrated  heart  cannot  originate  or  produce  it. 
It  is  found  only  in  the  heart  where  Jesus 
reigns.  "  We  love  because  he  first  loved  us."1 
In  the  heart  renewed  by  divine  grace,  love  is 
the  principle  of  action.  It  modifies  the  char- 
1 1  John  4  :  19,  R.  V. 


74  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

acter,  governs  the  impulses,  controls  the  pas- 
sions, subdues  enmity,  .and  ennobles  the  affec- 
tions. This  love,  cherished  in  the  soul, 
sweetens  the  life,  and  sheds  a  refining  influ- 
ence on  all  around. 

There  are  two  errors  against  which  the 
children  of  God  —  particularly  those  who  have 
just  come  to  trust  in  his  grace  —  especially 
need  to  guard.  The  first,  already  dwelt  upon, 
is  that  of  looking  to  their  own  works,  trusting 
to  anything  they  can  do,  to  bring  themselves 
into  harmony  with  God.  He  who  is  trying  to 
become  holy  by  his  own  works  in  keeping  the 
law,  is  attempting  an  impossibility.  All  that 
man  can  do  without  Christ  is  polluted  with 
selfishness  and  sin.  It  is  the  grace  of  Christ 
alone,  through  faith,  that  can  make  us  holy. 

The  opposite  and  no  less  dangerous  error  is, 
that  belief  in  Christ  releases  men  from  keep- 
ing the  law  of  God ;  that  since  by  faith  alone 
we  become  partakers  of  the  grace  of  Christ, 
our  works  have  nothing  to  do  with  our  re- 
demption. 

But  notice  here  that  obedience  is  not  a  mere 
outward  compliance,  but  the  service  of  love. 
The  law  of  God  is  an  expression  of  his  very 


THE    TEST    OF    DISCIPLESHIP.  75 

nature;  it  is  an  embodiment  of  the  great 
principle  of  love,  and  hence  is  the  foundation 
of  his  government  in  heaven  and  earth.  If 
our  hearts  are  renewed  in  the  likeness  of  God, 
if  the  divine  love  is  implanted  in  the  soul, 
will  not  the  law  of  God  be  carried  out  in  the 
life?  When  the  principle  of  love  is  implanted 
in  the  heart,  when  man  is  renewed  after  the 
image  of  Him  that  created  him,  the  new  cove- 
nant promise  is  fulfilled,  "I  will  put  my  laws 
into  their  hearts,  and  in  their  minds  will  I 
write  them."  '  And  if  the  law  is  written  in 
the  heart,  will  it  not  shape  the  life?  Obedi- 
ence—  the  service  and  allegiance  of  love  —  is 
the  true  sign  of  discipleship.  Thus  the  Scrip- 
ture says,  "This  is  the  love  of  God,  that  we 
keep  his  commandments."  "  He  that  saith,  I 
know  him,  and  keepeth  not  his  command- 
ments, is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him."  * 
Instead  of  releasing  man  from  obedience,  it  is 
faith,  and  faith  only,  that  makes  us  partakers 
of  the  grace  of  Christ,  which  enables  us  to 
render  obedience. 

We  do  not  earn  salvation  by  our  obedience;, 
for  salvation  is  the   free   gift  of  God,  to   be 
*Heb.  10:16.  *lJohn5:3;   2:4. 


76  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

received  by  faith.  But  obedience  is  the 
fruit  of  faith.  "Ye  know  that  he  was 
manifested  to  take  away  our  sins,  and  in  him 
is  no  sin.  Whosoever  abideth  in  him  sinneth 
not;  whosoever  sinneth,  hath  not  seen  him, 
neither  known  him."  1  Here  is  the  true  test. 
If  we  abide  in  Christ,  if  the  love  of  God 
dwells  in  us,  our  feelings,  our  thoughts,  our 
actions,  will  be  in  harmony  with  the  will  of  God 
as  expressed  in  the  precepts  of  his  holy  law. 
"Little  children,  let  no  man  deceive  you;  he 
that  doeth  righteousness  is  righteous,  even  as 
He  is  righteous."  2  Righteousness  is  denned 
by  the  standard  of  God's  holy  law,  as  ex- 
pressed in  the  ten  precepts  given  on  Sinai. 

That  so-called  faith  in  Christ  which  pro- 
fesses to  release  men  from  the  obligation  of 
obedience  to  God,  is  not  faith,  but  presump- 
tion. "  By  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith." 
But  "  faith,  if  it  hath  not  works,  is  dead." 3 
Jesus  said  of  himself  before  he  came  to  earth, 
"I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God;  yea, 
thy  law  is  within  my  heart."4  And  just 
before  he  ascended  again   to  heaven  he  de- 

1 1  John  3  : 5,  6.  2  1  John  3  :  7. 

3  Eph.  2:8:  James  2:17.  *  Ps.  40 : 8. 


THE    TEST    OF    DISCIPLESHIP.  77 

clared,  "I  have  kept  my  Father's  command- 
ments, and  abide  in  his  love."  '  The  Scripture 
says,  "Hereby  we  do  know  that  we  know  him, 
if  we  keep  his  commandments.  .         .     He 

that  saith  he  abideth  in  him,  ought  himself 
also  so  to  walk,  even  as  he  walked."  a  "  Be- 
cause Christ  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us 
an  example,  that  ye  should  follow  his 
steps."  8 

The  condition  of  eternal  life  is  now  just 
what  it  always  has  been, —  just  what  it  was  in 
Paradise  before  the  fall  of  our  first  parents, — 
perfect  obedience  to  the  law  of  God,  perfect 
righteousness.  If  eternal  life  were  granted 
on  any  condition  short  of  this,  then  the  happi- 
ness of  the  whole  universe  would  be  imperiled. 
The  way  would  be  open  for  sin,  with  all  its 
train  of  woe  aud  misery,  to  be  immortalized. 

It  was  possible  for  Adam,  before  the  fall,  to 
form  a  righteous  character  by  obedience  to 
God's  law.  But  he  failed  to  do  this,  and 
because  of  his  sin  our  natures  are  fallen,  and 
we  cannot  make  ourselves  righteous.  Since 
we  are  sinful,  unholy,  we  cannot  perfectly 
obey  a  holy  law.    We  have  no  righteousness  of 

UohnlSrIO.  2Uohn2:3-6.  sl  Peter  2:  21. 


STEPS   TO   CUEIST. 


our  own  with  which  to  meet  the  claims  of  the 
law  of  God.  But  Christ  has  made  a  way  of 
escape  for  us.  He  lived  on  earth  amid  trials 
and  temptations  such  as  we  have  to  meet. 
He  lived  a  sinless  life.  He  died  for  us,  and 
now  he  offers  to  take  our  sins  and  give  us  his 
righteousness.  If  you  give  yourself  to  him, 
and  accept  him  as  your  Saviour,  then,  sinful 
as  your  life  may  have  been,  for  his  sake  you 
are  accounted  righteous.  Christ's  character 
stands  in  place  of  your  character,  and  you  are 
accepted  before  God  just  as  if  you  had  not 
sinned. 

More  than  this,  Christ  changes  the  heart,  he 
abides  in  your  heart  by  faith.  You  are  to 
maintain  this  connection  with  Christ  by  faith 
and  the  continual  surrender  of  your  will  to 
him;  and  so  long  as  you  do  this,  he  will  work 
in  you  to  will  and  to  do  according  to  his  good 
pleasure.  So  you  may  say,  "  The  life  which  I 
now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the 
Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself 
for  me."1  So  Jesus  said  to  his  disciples,  "  It  is 
not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of  your 
Father  which  speaketh  in  you."2  Then  with 
1  Gal.  2:20.  2  Matt.  10:20. 


THE   TEST  OF  DISCIPLE  SHIP.  79 

Christ  working  in  you,  you  will  manifest  the 
same  spirit  and  do  the  same  works,  —  works  of 
righteousness,  obedience. 

So  we  have  nothing  in  ourselves  of  which  to 
boast.  We  have  no  ground  for  self-exaltation. 
Our  only  ground  of  hope  is  in  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  imputed  to  us,  and  in  that 
wrought  by  his  Spirit  working  in  and  through 
us. 

When  we  speak  of  faith,  there  is  a  distinc- 
tion that  should  be  borne  in  mind.  There  is 
a  kind  of  belief  that  is  wholly  distinct  from 
faith.  The  existence  and  power  of  God,  the 
truth  of  his  word,  are  facts  that  even  Satan  and 
his  hosts  cannot  at  heart  deny.  The  Bible  says 
that  "the  devils  also  believe,  and  tremble;"1 
but  this  is  not  faith.  Where  there  is  not  only 
a  belief  in  God's  word,  but  a  submission  of  the 
will  to  him  ;  where  the  heart  is  yielded  to  him, 
the  affections  fixed  upon  him,  there  is  faith, — , 
faith  that  works  by  love,  and  purifies  the  soul. 
Through  this  faith  the  heart  is  renewed  in  the 
image  of  God.  And  the  heart  that  in  its  un- 
renewed state  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God, 
neither  indeed  can  be,  now  delights  in  its  holy 
1  James  2  :  19. 


80  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 


precepts,  exclaiming  with  the  Psalmist,  "  O 
how  love  I  thy  law,  it  is  my  meditation  all  the 
day."1  And  the  righteousness  of  the  law  is 
fulfilled  in  us,  "  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh, 
but  after  the  Spirit-"2 

There  are  those  who  have  known  the  pardon- 
ing love  of  Christ,  and  who  really  desire  to  be 
children  of  God,  yet  they  realize  that  their 
character  is  imperfect,  their  life  faulty,  and 
they  are  ready  to  doubt  whether  their  hearts 
have  been  renewed  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  To 
such  I  would  say,  Do  not  draw  back  in  despair. 
We  shall  often  have  to  bow  down  and  weep  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus  because  of  our  short-comings 
and  mistakes ;  but  we  are  not  to  be  discour- 
aged. Even  if  we  are  overcome  by  the  enemy, 
we  are  not  cast  off,  not  forsaken  and  rejected 
of  God.  No ;  Christ  is  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us. 
Said  the  beloved  John,  "  These  things  write  I 
unto  you,  that  ye  sin  not.  And  if  any  man 
sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus 
Christ  the  righteous."3  And  do  not  forget  the 
words  of  Christ,  "  The  Father  himself  loveth 
you."4  He  desires  to  restore  you  to  himself, 
^s.  119  :  97.  2  Rom.  8:1.   81  John  2  : 1.    *.Tohn  16  :  27. 


THE    TEST    OF   DISCIPLESHIP.  81 

to  see  his  own  purity  and  holiness  reflected  in 
you.  And  if  you  will  but  yield  yourself  to 
him,  he  that  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you 
will  carry  it  forward  to  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Pray  more  fervently ;  believe  more  fully.  As 
we  come  to  distrust  our  own  power,  let  us 
trust  the  power  of  our  Redeemer,  and  we  shall 
praise  him  who  is  the  health  of  our  counte- 
nance. 

The  closer  you  come  to  Jesus,  the  more 
faulty  you  will  appear  in  your  own  eyes;  for 
your  vision  will  be  clearer,  and  your  imperfec- 
tions will  be  seen  in  broad  and  distinct  contrast 
to  his  perfect  nature.  This  is  evidence  that 
Satan's  delusions  have  lost  their  power;  that 
the  vivifying  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  is 
arousing  you. 

No  deep-seated  love  for  Jesus  can  dwell  in 
the  heart  that  does  not  realize  its  own  sinful- 
ness. The  soul  that  is  transformed  by  the 
grace  of  Christ  will  admire  his  divine  charac- 
ter ;  but  if  we  do  not  see  our  own  moral  deform- 
ity, it  is  unmistakable  evidence  that  we  have 
not  had  a  view  of  the  beauty  and  excellence  of 
Christ. 

The  less  we  see  to  esteem  in  ourselves,  the 


82  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

more  we  shall  see  to  esteem  in  the  infinite  pu- 
rity and  loveliness  of  our  Saviour.  A  view  of 
our  sinfulness  drives  us  to  him  who  can  par- 
don; and  when  the  soul,  realizing  its  helpless- 
ness reaches  out  after  Christ,  he  will  reveal 
himself  in  power.  The  more  our  sense  of  need 
drives  us  to  him  and  to  the  word  of  God,  the 
more  exalted  views  we  shall  have  of  his  char- 
acter, and  the  more  fully  we  shall  reflect  his 
image. 


GEO  WING  UP  IIS  TO  CHBIST. 


The  change  of  heart  by  which  we  become 
children  of  God  is  in  the  Bible  spoken  of  as 
birth.  Again,  it  is  compared  to  the  germina- 
tion of  the  good  seed  sown  by  the  husband- 
man. In  like  manner  those  who  are  just  con- 
verted to  Christ  are,  as  "  new-born  babes,"  to 
"grow  np"1  to  the  stature  of  men  and  women 
in  Christ  Jesus.  Or  like  the  good  seed  sown 
in  the  field,  they  are  to  grow  up  and  bring 
forth  fruit.  Isaiah  says  that  they  shall  "be 
called  trees  of  righteousness,  the  planting  of 
the  Lord,  that  he  might  be  glorified."2  So 
from  natural  life,  illustrations  are  drawn,  to 
help  us  better  to  understand  the  mysterious 
truths  of  spiritual  life. 

Not  all  the  wisdom  and  skill  of  man  can 
produce  life  in  the  smallest  object  in  nature. 
It  is  only  through  the  life  which  God  himself 
has  imparted,  that  either  plant  or  animal  can 
live.     So  it  is  only  through  the  life  from  God 

1 1  Peter  2  :  2  ;  Eph.  4  :  15.  8Isa.  61:3. 

r  S3 1 


84  STEPS    TO  CHRIST. 

that  spiritual  life  is  begotten  in  the  hearts  of 
men.  Unless  a  man  is  "born  from  above,"1 
he  cannot  become  a  partaker  of  the  life  which 
Christ  came  to  give. 

As  with  life,  so  it  is  with  growth.  It  is  God 
who  brings  the  bud  to  bloom  and  the  flower  to 
fruit.  It  is  by  his  power  that  the  seed  devel- 
ops, "  first  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  after  that 
the  full  corn  in  the  ear."2  And  the  prophet 
Hosea  says  of  Israel,  that  "  he  shall  grow  as 
the  lily."  "  They  shall  revive  as  the  corn  and 
grow  as  the  vine."3  And  Jesus  bids  us  "con- 
sider the  lilies,  how  they  grow."4  The  plants 
and  flowers  grow  not  by  their  own  care  or 
anxiety  or  effort,  but  by  receiving  that  which 
God  has  furnished  to  minister  to  their  life. 
The  child  cannot,  by  any  anxiety  or  power  of 
its  own,  add  to  its  stature.  No  more  can  you, 
by  anxiety  or  effort  of  yourself,  secure  spiritu- 
al growth.  The  plant,  the  child,  grows  by  re- 
ceiving from  its  surroundings  that  which  min- 
isters to  its  life, — air,  sunshine,  and  food. 
What  these  gifts  of  nature  are  to  animal  and 
plant,  such  is  Christ  to  those  who  trust  in  him. 

1  John  3  :  3  (margin).  2  Mark  4  :  28. 

3  Hosea  14  :  5,  7.  « Luke  12  :  27. 


GROWING    UP    INTO    CHRIST.  85 

Ha  is  their  "  everlasting  light,"  "  a  sun  and  a 
shield."1  He  shall  be  as  "  the  dew  unto  Isra- 
el." "  He  shall  come  down  like  rain  upon  the 
mown  grass.""  He  is  the  living  water,  "the 
bread  of  God  .  .  which  cometh  down 
from  heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world.  "3 

In  the  matchless  gift  of  his  Son,  God  has 
encircled  the  whole  world  with  an  atmosphere  of 
grace,  as  real  as  the  air  which  circulates  around 
the  globe.  All  who  choose  to  breathe  this  life- 
giving  atmosphere  will  live,  and  grow  up  to  the 
stature  of  men  and  women  in  Christ  Jesus. 

As  the  flower  turns  to  the  sun,  that  the 
bright  beams  may  aid  in  perfecting  its  beauty 
and  symmetry,  so  should  we  turn  to  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness,  that  Heaven's  light  may  shine 
upon  us,  that  our  character  may  be  developed 
in  the  likeness  of  Christ. 

Jesus  teaches  the  same  thing  when  he  says, 
*■  Abide  in  me,  and  I  in  you.  As  the  branch 
cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the 
vine:  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me. 
.  Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing."4  You 
are  just  as  dependent  upon  Christ,  in  order  to 

1  Isa.  60  ;  19 ;  Ps.  84  :  11.        a  Hosea  14 :  5 ;  Ps.  72  :  6. 
sJohn6:33.  *  John  15  :  4,  5. 


8G  STEPS    TO  CHRIST. 

live  a  holy  life,  as  is  the  branch  upon  the  par- 
ent stock  for  growth  and  fruitfulness.  Apart 
from  him  you  have  no  life.  You  have  no  pow- 
er to  resist  temptation  or  to  grow  in  grace  and 
holiness.  Abiding  in  him,  you  may  flourish. 
Drawing  your  life  from  him,  you  will  not 
wither  nor  be  fruitless.  You  will  be  like  a 
tree  planted  by  the  rivers  of  water. 

Many  have  an  idea  that  they  must  do  some. 
part  of  the  work  alone.  They  have  trusted  in 
Christ  for  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  but  now  they 
seek  by  their  own  efforts  to  live  aright.  But 
every  such  effort  must  fail.  Jesus  says> 
"  Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing."  Our  growth 
in  grace,  our  joy,  our  usefulness, — all  depend 
upon  our  union  with  Christ.  It  is  by  com- 
munion with  him,  daily,  hourly, — by  abiding 
in  him, — that  we  are  to  grow  in  grace.  He  is 
not  only  the  author  but  the  finisher  of  our 
faith.  It  is  Christ  first  and  last  and  always. 
He  is  to  be  with  us,  not  only  at  the  beginning 
and  the  end  of  our  course,  but  at  every  step  of 
the  way.  David  says,  "  I  have  set  the  Lord 
always  before  me;  because  he  is  at  my  right 
hand,  I  shall  not  be  moved."1 
1  Ps.  16  :  8. 


GROWING    UP   INTO    CHRIST.  87 

Do  you  ask,  "  How  am  I  to  abide  in  Christ?" 
— In  the  same  way  as  you  received  him  at  first. 
"As  ye  have  therefore  received  Christ  Jesus 
the  Lord,  so  walk  ye  in  him."  "  The  just 
shall  live  by  faith."1  You  gave  yourself  to 
God,  to  be  his  wholly,  to  serve  and  obey  him, 
and  you  took  Christ  as  your  Saviour.  You 
could  not  yourself  atone  for  your  sins  or  change 
your  heart;  but  having  given  yourself  to  God, 
you  believed  that  he  for  Christ's  sake  did  all 
this  for  you.  By  faith  you  became  Christ's, 
and  by  faith  you  are  to  grow  up  in  him, —  by 
giving  and  taking.  You  are  to  give  all, —  your 
heart,  your  will,  your  service, —  give  yourself 
to  him  to  obey  all  his  requirements ;  and  you 
must  take  all, —  Christ,  the  fullness  of  all 
blessing,  to  abide  in  your  heart,  to  be  your 
strength,  your  righteousness,  your  everlasting 
helper, — to  give  you  power  to  obey. 

Consecrate  yourself  to  God  in  the  morning ; 
make  this  your  very  first  work.  Let  your 
prayer  be,  "  Take  me,  O  Lord,  as  wholly  thine. 
I  lay  all  my  plans  at  thy  feet.  Use  me  to-day 
in  thy  service.  Abide  with  me,  and  let  all  my 
work   be  wrought  in   thee."     This  is  a  daily 

^ol.  2:6;  Heb.  10:38. 


88  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

matter.  Each  morning  consecrate  yourself  to 
God  for  that  day.  Surrender  all  your  plans 
to  him,  to  be  carried  out  or  given  up  as  his 
providence  shall  indicate.  Thus  day  by  day 
you  may  be  giving  your  life  into  the  hands  of 
God,  and  thus  your  life  will  be  moulded  more 
and  more  after  the  life  of  Christ. 

A  life  in  Christ  is  a  life  of  restfulness. 
There  may  be  no  ecstasy  of  feeling,  but  there 
should  be  an  abiding,  peaceful  trust.  Your 
hope  is  not  in  yourself ;  it  is  in  Christ.  Tour 
weakness  is  united  to  his  strength,  your  igno- 
rance to  his  wisdom,  your  frailty  to  his  endur- 
ing might.  So  you  are  not  to  look  to  your- 
self, not  to  let  the  mind  dwell  on  self,  but  look 
to  Christ.  Let  the  mind  dwell  upon  his  love,, 
upon  the  beauty,  the  perfection,  of  his  charac- 
ter. Christ  in  his  self-denial,  Christ  in  his 
humiliation,  Christ  in  his  purity  and  holiness, 
Christ  in  his  matchless  love, —  this  is  the  sub- 
ject for  the  soul's  contemplation.  It  is  by 
loving  him,  copying  him,  depending  wholly 
upon  him,  that  you  are  to  be  transformed  into 
his  likeness. 

Jesus  says,  l 'Abide  in  me."  These  words 
convey  the  idea  of  rest,   stability,  confidence. 


GROWING    UP   INTO    CHRIST  8$ 


Again  he  invites,  "  Come  unto  me 
and  I  will  give  you  rest."1  The  words  of  the 
Psalmist  express  the  same  thought:  "Rest  in 
the  Lord,  and  wait  patiently  for  him."  And 
Isaiah  gives  the  assurance,  u  In  quietness  and 
confidence  shall  be  your  strength."2  This  rest 
is  not  found  in  inactivity:  for  in  the  Saviour's 
invitation  the  promise  of  rest  is  united  with  the 
call  to  labor:  "  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  .  . 
and  ye  shall  find  rest."3  The  heart  that  rests 
most  fully  upon  Christ  will  be  most  earnest 
and  active  in  labor  for  him. 

When  the  mind  dwells  upon  self,  it  is  turned 
away  from  Christ,  the  source  of  strength  and 
life.  Hence  it  is  Satan's  constant  effort  to 
keep  the  attention  diverted  from  the  Saviour, 
and  thus  prevent  the  union  and  communion  of 
the  soul  with  Christ.  The  pleasures  of  the 
world,  life's  cares  and  perplexities  and  sor- 
rows, the  faults  of  others,  or  your  own  faults 
and  imperfections. —  to  any  or  all  of  these  he 
will  seek  to  divert  the  mind.  Do  not  be  misled 
by  his  devices.  Many  who  are  really  consci- 
entious, and  who  desire  to  live  for  God,  he  too 

1  Matt.  11 :  28,  29.  2  Ps.  37  •  7 ,  Isa.  30  :  15. 

3  Matt.  11;  28,  29. 


90  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

often  leads  to  dwell  upon  their  own  faults  and 
weaknesses,  and  thus  by  separating  them  from 
Christ,  he  hopes  to  gain  the  victory.  We 
should  not  make  self  the  center,  and  indulge 
anxiety  and  fear  as  to  whether  we  shall  be 
saved.  All  this  turns  the  soul  away  from  the 
source  of  our  strength.  Commit  the  keeping 
of  your  soul  to  God,  and  trust  in  him.  Talk 
and  think  of  Jesus.  Let  self  be  lost  in  him. 
Put  away  all  doubt ;  dismiss  your  fears.  Say 
with  the  apostle  Paul,  "  I  live;  yet  not  I,  but 
Christ  liveth  in  me ;  and  the  life  which  I  now 
live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son 
of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for 
me."1  Kest  in  God.  He  is  able  to  keep  that 
which  you  have  committed  to  him.  If  you 
will  leave  yourself  in  his  hands,  he  will  bring 
you  off  more  than  conqueror  through  him  that 
has  loved  you. 

When  Christ  took  human  nature  upon  him, 
he  bound  humanity  to  himself  by  a  tie  of  love 
that  can  never  be  broken  by  any  power  save 
the  choice  of  man  himself.  Satan  will  con- 
stantly present  allurements  to  induce  us  to 
break  this  tie, —  to  choose  to  separate  ourselves 
1  Gal.  2  :  20. 


GROWING    UP   INTO   CHRIST.  91 

from  Christ.  Here  is  where  we  need  to  watch, 
to  strive,  to  pray,  that  nothing  may  entice  us 
to  choose  another  master;  for  we  are  always 
free  to  do  this.  But  let  us  keep  our  eyes  fixed 
upon  Christ,  and  he  will  preserve  us.  Look- 
ing unto  Jesus  we  are  safe.  Nothing  can 
pluck  us  out  of  his  hand.  In  constantly  be- 
holding him,  we  "  are  changed  into  the  same 
image  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord."1 

It  was  thus  that  the  early  disciples  gained 
their  likeness  to  the  dear  Saviour.  When 
those  disciples  heard  the  words  of  Jesus,  they 
felt  their  need  of  him.  They  sought,  they 
found,  they  followed  him.  They  were  with 
him  in  the  house,  at  the  table,  in  the  closet, 
in  the  field.  They  were  with  him  as  pupils 
with  a  teacher,  daily  receiving  from  his  lips 
lessons  of  holy  truth.  They  looked  to  him,  as 
servants  to  their  master,  to  learn  their  duty. 
Those  disciples  were  men  "subject  to  like 
passions  as  we  are."2  They  had  the  same 
battle  with  sin  to  fight.  They  needed  the 
same  grace,  in  order  to  live  a  holy  life. 

Even  John,  the  beloved  disciple,  the  one 
1 2  Cor.  3:18.  2James5:17. 


5)2  STEPS    TO    CHRIST. 

who  most  fully  reflected  the  likeness  of  the 
Saviour,  did  not  naturally  possess  that  loveli- 
ness of  character.  He  was  not  only  self-as- 
sertive and  ambitious  for  honor,  but  impetu- 
ous and  resentful  under  injuries.  But  as  the 
•character  of  the  Divine  One  was  manifested  to 
him,  he  saw  his  own  deficiency,  and  was 
humbled  by  the  knowledge.  The  strength 
and  patience,  the  power  and  tenderness,  the 
majesty  and  meekness,  that  he  beheld  in  the 
daily  life  of  the  Son  of  God,  filled  his  soul  with 
admiration  and  love.  Day  by  day  his  heart  was 
drawn  out  toward  Christ,  until  he  lost  sight 
of  self  in  love  for  his  Master.  His  resentful, 
ambitious  temper  was  yielded  to  the  moulding 
power  of  Christ.  The  regenerating  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  renewed  his  heart.  The  power 
of  the  love  of  Christ  wrought  a  transformation 
of  character.  This  is  the  sure  result  of  union 
with  Jesus.  When  Christ  abides  in  the  heart, 
the  whole  nature  is  transformed.  Christ's 
spirit,  his  love,  softens  the  heart,  subdues  the 
soul,  and  raises  the  thoughts  and  desires  to- 
ward God  and  heaven. 

When  Christ  ascended  to  heaven,  the  sense 
of  his  presence  was  still   with   his   followers. 


GROWING    UP  INTO   CHRIST.  93- 

It  was  a  personal  presence,  fall  of  love  and 
light.  Jesus,  the  Saviour,  who  had  walked 
and  talked  and  prayed  with  them,  who  had 
spoken  hope  and  comfort  to  their  hearts  had, 
while  the  message  of  peace  was  still  upon  his- 
lips,  been  taken  up  from  them  into  heaven, 
and  the  tones  of  his  voice  had  come  back  to 
them,  as  the  cloud  of  angels  received  him,  — 
"Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world."  '  He  had  ascended  to  heaven 
in  the  form  of  humanity.  They  knew  that  he 
was  before  the  throne  of  God,  their  friend  and 
Saviour  still  ;  that  his  sympathies  were  un- 
changed ;  that  he  was  still  identified  with 
suffering  humanity.  He  was  presenting  be- 
fore God  the  merits  of  his  own  precious  blood, 
showing  his  wounded  hands  and  feet,  in  re- 
membrance of  the  price  he  had  paid  for  his 
redeemed.  They  knew  that  he  had  ascended 
to  heaven  to  prepare  places  for  them,  and 
that  he  would  come  again,  and  take  them  to 
himself. 

As  they  met  together,    after  the  ascension, 
they  were  eager  to  present   their  requests   to 
the  Father  in  the  name  of  Jesus.     In  solemn 
JMatt.  28:20. 


94  STEPS    TO   CHRIST 


awe  they  bowed  in  prayei,  repeating  the  as- 
surance, ;*  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  the  Fathei 
in  my  name,  he  will  give  it  you.  Hitherto 
have  ye  asked  nothing  in  my  name  :  ask,  and 
ye  shall  receive,  that  your  joy  may  be  full."  ! 
They  extended  the  hand  of  faith  higher  and 
higher,  with  the  mighty  argument,  "It  is 
Christ  that  died,  yea  rather,  that  is  risen  again, 
who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who 
also  maketh  intercession  for  us."  3  And  Pente- 
cost brought  them  the  presence  of  the  Com- 
forter, of  whom  Christ  had  said,  he  "  shall 
be  in  you."  And  he  had  further  said,  "  It  is 
expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away;  for  if  I 
go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come 
unto  you;  but  if  I  depart  I  will  send  him 
unto  you."  8  Henceforth  through  the  Spirit, 
Christ  was  to  abide  continually  in  the  hearts 
of  his  children.  Their  union  with  him  was 
closer  than  when  he  was  personally  with  them. 
The  light,  and  love  and  power  of  the  indwelling 
Christ  shone  out  through  them,  so  that  men, 
beholding,  "marveled;  and  they  took  knowl- 
edge of  them,  that  they  had  been  with  Jesus."  * 

Uohn  16:33,  24.  2Rom.  8:34. 

3  John  14  :  17 :  16  :  7.  *  Acts  4  :  13. 


GROWING   UP  INTO   CHRIST.  95 


All  that  Christ  was  to  the  first  disciples,  he 
desires  to  be  to  his  children  to-day;  for  in 
that  last  prayer,  with  the  little  band  of  disci- 
ples gathered  about  him,  he  said,  "Neither 
pray  I  for  these  alone ;  but  for  them  also  which 
shall  believe  on  me  through  their  word-  "  ' 

Jesus  prayed  for  us,  and  he  asked  that  we 
might  be  one  with  him,  even  as  he  is  one 
with  the  Father.  What  a  union  is  this  !  The 
Saviour  had  said  of  himself,  "  The  Son  can  do 
nothing  of  himself;"  "  the  Father  that  dwell- 
eth  in  me,  he  doeth  the  works." a  Then  if 
Christ  is  dwelling  in  our  hearts,  he  will  work 
in  us  "both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure."  *  We  shall  work  as  he  worked ;  we 
shall  manifest  the  same  spirit.  And  thus, 
loving  him  and  abiding  in  him,  we  shall  "grow 
up  into  him  in  all  things,  which  is  the  head, 
even  Christ." 4 

1  John  17  ;  20.  2  John  5:19;  14  :  10. 

3  Phil.  2:  13.  *Eph.  4  ;  15. 


THE  WORK  AND  THE  LIFE 


God  is  the  source  of  life  and  light  and  joy 
to  the  universe.  Like  rays  of  light  from  the 
sun,  like  the  streams  of  water  bursting  from  a 
living  spring,  blessings  flow  out  from  him  to 
all  his  creatures.  And  wherever  the  life  of 
God  is  in  the  hearts  of  men,  it  will  flow  out  to 
others  in  love  and  blessing. 

Our  Saviour's  joy  was  in  the  uplifting  and 

redemption  of  fallen  men.     For  this  he  counted 

not  his  life  dear  unto  himself,  but  endured  the 

<?ross,  despising  the    shame.      So  angels   are 

ever  engaged  in  working  for  the  happiness  of 

others.     This  is  their  joy.     That  which  selfish 

hearts  would  regard   as   humiliating    service, 

ministering  to  those  who  are  wretched,  and  in 

every  way   inferior  in  character  and  rank,  is 

ihe  work  of  the  sinless  angels.     The  spirit  of 

Christ's  self-sacrificing  love  is  the  spirit  that 

pervades  heaven,  and  is  the  very  essence  of  its 

Miss.     This  is  the  spirit  that  Christ's  follow  - 

ers  will  possess,  the  work  that  they  will  do. 

[96] 


THE   WORK  AND   TUB  LIFE.  97 

When  the  love  of  Christ  is  enshrined  in  the 
heart,  like  sweet  fragrance  it  cannot  be  hidden. 
Its  holy  influence  will  be  felt  by  all  with  whom 
we  come  in  contact.  The  spirit  of  Christ  in 
the  heart  is  like  a  spring  in  the  desert,  flowing 
to  refresh  all,  and  making  those  who  are  ready 
to  perish,  eager  to  drink  of  the  water  of  life. 

Love  to  Jesus  will  be  manifested  in  a  desire 
to  work  as  he  worked,  for  the  blessing  and  up- 
lifting of  humanity.  It  will  lead  to  love,  ten- 
derness, and  sympathy  toward  all  the  creatures 
of  our  Heavenly  Father's  care. 

The  Saviour's  life  on  earth  was  not  a  life  of 
ease  and  devotion  to  himself,  but  he  toiled  with 
persistent,  earnest,  untiring  effort  for  the  sal- 
vation of  lost  mankind.  From  the  manger  to 
Calvary  he  followed  the  path  of  self-denial, 
and  sought  not  to  be  released  from  arduous 
tasks,  painful  travels,  and  exhausting  care  and 
labor.  He  said,  "The  Son  of  man  came  not  to 
be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to 
give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many."1  This  was 
the  one  great  object  of  his  life.  Everything 
else  was  secondary  and  subservient.  It  was 
his  meat  and  drink  to  do  the  will  of  God  and 
1  Matt.  20  :  38. 


98  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

to  finish  his  work.     Self  and  self-interest  had 
no  part  in  his  labor. 

So  those  who  are  the  partakers  of  the  grace 
of  Christ  will  be  ready  to  make  any  sacrifice, 
that  others  for  whom  he  died  may  share  the 
heavenly  gift  They  will  do  all  they  can  to 
make  the  world  better  for  their  stay  in  it. 
This  spirit  is  the  sure  outgrowth  of  a  soul 
truly  converted.  No  sooner  does  one  come 
to  Christ,  than  there  is  born  in  his  heart 
a  desire  to  make  known  to  others  what  a 
precious  friend  he  has  found  in  Jesus;  the 
saving  and  sanctifying  truth  cannot  be  shut 
up  in  his  heart.  If  we  are  clothed  with  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  and  are  filled  with 
the  joy  of  his  indwelling  Spirit,  we  shall  not 
be  able  to  hold  our  peace.  If  we  have  tasted 
and  seen  that  the  Lord  is  good,  we  shall 
have  something  to  tell.  Like  Philip  when 
he  found  the  Saviour,  we  shall  invite  others 
into  his  presence.  We  shall  seek  to  present 
to  them  the  attractions  of  Christ,  and  the 
unseen  realities  of  the  world  to  come.  There 
will  be  an  intensity  of  desire  to  follow  in  the 
path  that  Jesus  trod.  There  will  be  an 
earnest   longing    that   those    around    us    may 


THE    WORK   AND    THE    LIFE.  99 


behold  "  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world." 

And  the  effort  to  bless  others  will  re- act  in 
blessings  upon  ourselves.  This  was  the  pur- 
pose of  God  in  giving  us  a  part  to  act  in  the 
plan  of  redemption.  He  has  granted  men  the 
privilege  of  becoming  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature,  and,  in  their  turn,  of  diffusing  bless- 
ings to  their  fellowmen.  This  is  the  highest 
honor,  the  greatest  joy,  that  it  is  possible  for 
God  to  bestow  upon  men.  Those  who  thus  be- 
come participants  in  labors  of  love  are  brought 
nearest  to  their  Creator. 

God  might  have  committed  the  message  of 
the  gospel,  and  all  the  work  of  loving  ministry, 
to  the  heavenly  angels.  He  might  have  em- 
ployed other  means  for  accomplishing  his  pur- 
pose. But  in  his  infinite  love  he  chose  to 
make  us  co-workers  with  himself,  with  Christ 
and  the  angels,  that  we  might  share  the  bless- 
ing, the  joy,  the  spiritual  uplifting,  which  re- 
sults from  this  unselfish  ministry. 

We  are  brought  into  sympathy  with  Christ 
through  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings.  Ev- 
ery act  of  self-sacrifice   for  the  good  of  others 

1  John  1  :  29. 


100  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

strengthens  the  spirit  of  beneficence  in  the 
giver's  heart,  allying  him  more  closely  to  the 
Redeemer  of  the  world,  who  "  was  rich,  yet 
for  your  sakes  became  poor,  that  ye  through 
his  poverty  might  be  rich."  And  it  is  only 
as  we  thus  fulfill  the  divine  purpose  in  our 
creation  that  life  can  be  a  blessing  to  us. 

If  you  will  go  to  work  as  Christ  designs  that 
his  disciples  shall,  and  win  souls  for  him,  you 
will  feel  the  need  of  a  deeper  experience  and  a 
greater  knowledge  in  divine  things,  and  will 
hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness.  You 
will  plead  with  God,  and  your  faith  will  be 
strengthened,  and  your  soul  will  drink  deeper 
draughts  at  the  well  of  salvation.  Encounter- 
ing opposition  and  trials  will  drive  you  to  the 
Bible  and  to  prayer.  You  will  grow  in  grace 
and  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  will  develop 
a  rich  experience. 

The  spirit  of  unselfish  labor  for  others  gives 
depth,  stability,  and  Christ-like  loveliness  to 
the  character,  and  brings  peace  and  happiness 
to  its  possessor.  The  aspirations  are  elevated. 
There  is  no  room  for  sloth  or  selfishness. 
Those  who  thus  exercise  the  Christian  graces 
will  grow  and  will  become  strong  to  work  for 


THE   WORK  AND    THE  LIFE.  101 

God.  They  will  have  clear  spiritual  percep- 
tions, a  steady,  growing  faith,  and  an  in- 
creased power  in  prayer.  The  Spirit  of  God, 
moving  upon  their  spirit,  calls  forth  the 
sacred  harmonies  of  the  soul,  in  answer 
to  the  divine  touch.  Those  who  thus  devote 
themselves  to  unselfish  effort  for  the  good  of 
others  are  most  surely  working  out  their  own 
salvation. 

The  only  way  to  grow  in  grace  is  to  be  disin- 
terestedly doing  the  very  work  which  Christ 
has  enjoined  upon  us, —  to  engage,  to  the  ex- 
tent of  our  ability,  in  helping  and  blessing 
those  who  need  the  help  we  can  give  them. 
Strength  comes  by  exercise;  activity  is  the 
very  condition  of  life.  Those  who  endeavor  to 
maintain  Christian  life  by  passively  accepting 
the  blessings  that  come  through  the  means  of 
grace,  and  doing  nothing  for  Christ,  are  simply 
trying  to  live  by  eating  without  working.  And 
in  the  spiritual  as  in  the  natural  world,  this 
always  results  in  degeneration  and  decay.  A 
man  who  would  refuse  to  exercise  his  limbs 
would  soon  lose  all  power  to  use  them.  Thus 
the  Christian  who  will  not  exercise  his  God- 
given  powers,  not  only  fails  to  grow  up  into 


102  STEPS  TO  CHRIST 

Christ,   but  he  loses  the  strength  that  he  al- 
ready had. 

The  church  of  Christ  is  God's  appointed 
agency  for  the  salvation  of  men.  Its  mission 
is  to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  world.  And  the 
obligation  rests  upon  all  Christians.  Every 
one,  to  the  extent  of  his  talent  and  opportuni- 
ty, is  to  fulfill  the  Saviour's  commission.  The 
love  of  Christ,  revealed  to  us,  makes  us  debtors 
to  all  who  know  him  not.  God  has  given  us 
light,  not  for  ourselves  alone,  but  to  shed  upon 
them. 

If  the  followers  of  Christ  were  awake  to  du- 
ty, there  would  be  thousands  where  there  is 
one  to-day,  proclaiming  the  gospel  in  heathen 
lands.  And  all  who  could  not  personally  en- 
gage in  the  work,  would  yet  sustain  it  with 
their  means,  their  sympathy,  and  their  prayers. 
And  there  would  be  far  more  earnest  labor  for 
souls  in  Christian  countries. 

We  need  not  go  to  heathen  lands,or  even  leave 
the  narrow  circle  of  the  home,  if  it  is  there 
that  our  duty  lies,  in  order  to  work  for  Christ. 
We  can  do  this  in  the  home  circle,  in  the 
church,  among  those  with  whom  we  associate, 
and  with  whom  we  do  business. 


THE   WORK  AND    THE  LIFE.  103 

The  greater  part  of  our  Saviour's  life  on 
earth  was  spent  in  patient  toil  in  the  carpen- 
ter's shop  at  Nazareth.  Ministering  angels 
attended  the  Lord  of  life  as  he  walked  side  by 
side  with  peasants  and  laborers,  unrecognized 
and  unhonored.  He  was  as  faithfully  fulfilling 
his  mission  while  working  at  his  humble  trade 
as  when  he  healed  the  sick  or  walked  upon  the 
storm-tossed  waves  of  Galilee.  So,  in  the 
humblest  duties  and  lowliest  positions  of  life, 
we  may  walk  and  work  with  Jesus. 

The  apostle  says,  "  Let  every  man,   wherein 

he  is  called,    therein    abide  with  God."1     The 

business  man    may   conduct  his  business  in  a 

way  that  will  glorify  his  Master  because  of  his 

fidelity.     If  he  is  a  true  follower  of  Christ,  he 

will  carry  his  religion  into  everything   that  is 

done,    and   reveal  to  men  the  spirit  of  Christ. 

The  mechanic  may  be  a  diligent    and  faithful 

representative  of  him  who  toiled  in  the  lowly 

walks  of  life  among  the  hills  of  Galilee.  Every 

one  who  names  the  name  of  Christ  should  so 

work  that  others,  by  seeing  his  good  works, 

may  be  led  to  glorify  their  Creator  and  Ee- 

deemer. 

1 1  Cor.  7  :  24 


104  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

Many  have  excused  themselves  from  render- 
ing their  gifts  to  the  service  of  Christ  because 
others  were  possessed  of  superior  endowments 
and  advantages.  The  opinion  has  prevailed 
that  only  those  who  are  especially  talented  are 
required  to  consecrate  their  abilities  to  the 
service  of  God.  It  has  come  to  be  understood 
by  many  that  talents  are  given  to  only  a  cer- 
tain favored  class,  to  the  exclusion  of  others, 
who,  of  course,  are  not  called  upon  to  share  in 
the  toils  or  the  rewards.  But  it  is  not  so  repre- 
sented in  the  parable.  When  the  master  of 
the  house  called  his  servants,  he  gave  to  every 
man  his  work. 

With  a  loving  spirit  we  may  perform  life's 
humblest  duties  "  as  to  the  Lord."1  If  the 
love  of  God  is  in  the  heart,  it  will  be  manifest 
in  the  life.  The  sweet  savor  of  Christ  will 
surround  us,  and  our  influence  will  elevate  and 
bless. 

You  are  not  to  wait  for  great  occasions  or  to 
expect  extraordinary  abilities  before  you  go  to 
work  for  God.  Tou  need  not  have  a  thought 
of  what  the  world  will  think  of  you.  If  your 
daily  life  is  a  testimony  to  the  purity  and  sin- 

1  Col.  3  :  23 


THE    WORK   AND    THE   LIFE.         105 

cerity  of  your  faith,  and  others  are  convinced 
that  you  desire  to  benefit  them,  your  efforts 
will  not  be  wholly  lost. 

The  humblest  and  poorest  of  the  disciples 
of  Jesus  can  be  a  blessing  to  others.  They 
may  not  realize  that  they  are  doing  any  special 
good,  but  by  their  unconscious  influence  thej 
may  start  waves  of  blessing  that  will  widen 
and  deepen,  and  the  blessed  results  they  may 
never  know  until  the  day  of  final  reward.  They 
do  not  feel  or  know  that  they  are  doing  any- 
thing great.  They  are  not  required  to  weary 
themselves  with  anxiety  about  success.  They 
have  only  to  go  forward  quietly,  doing  faith- 
fully the  work  that  God's  providence  assigns, 
and  their  life  will  not  be  in  vain.  Their  own 
souls  will  be  growing  more  and  more  into  the 
likeness  of  Christ;  they  are  workers  together 
with  God  in  this  life,  and  are  thus  fitting  for 
the  higher  work  and  the  unshadowed  joy  of 
the  life  to  come. 


A  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD. 


Many  are  the  ways  in  which  God  is  seeking 
to  make  himself  known  to  us  and  to  bring  us 
into  communion  with  him.  Nature  speaks  to 
our  senses  without  ceasing.  The  open  heart 
will  be  impressed  with  the  love  and  glory  of 
God  as  revealed  through  the  works  of  his 
hands.  The  listening  ear  can  hear  and  under- 
stand the  communications  of  God  through  the 
things  of  nature.  The  green  fields,  the  lofty 
trees,  the  buds  and  flowers,  the  passing  cloud, 
the  falling  rain,  the  babbling  brook,  the  glo- 
ries of  the  heavens,  speak  to  our  hearts,  and 
invite  us  to  become  acquainted  with  Him  who 
made  them  all. 

Our  Saviour  bound  up  his  precious  lessons 
with  the  things  of  nature.  The  trees,  the 
birds,  the  flowers  of  the  valley,  the  hills, 
the  lake,  and  the  beautiful  heavens,  as  well 
as  the  incidents  and  surroundings  of  daily 
life,  were  all  linked  with  the  words  of  truth, 
that  his  lessons  might  thus  be  often  recalled 
[IOC] 


A    KNOWLEDGE    OF   GOD.  107 

to  mind,  even  amid  the  busy  cares  of  man's  life 
of  toil. 

God  would  have  his  children  appreciate  his 
works,  and  delight  in  the  simple,  quiet  beauty 
with  which  he  has  adorned  our  earthly  home. 
He  is  a  lover  of  the  beautiful,  and  above  all 
that  is  outwardly  attractive  he  loves  beauty  of 
character;  he  would  have  us  cultivate  purity 
and  simplicity,  the  quiet  graces  of  the  flowers. 

If  we  will  but  listen,  God's  created  works 
will  teach  us  precious  lessons  of  obedience  and 
trust.  From  the  stars  that  in  their  trackless 
course  through  space,  follow  from  age  to  age 
their  appointed  path,  down  to  the  minutest  at- 
om, the  things  of  nature  obey  the  Creator's  will. 
And  God  cares  for  everything  and  sustains  ev- 
erything that  he  has  created.  He  who  upholds 
the  unnumbered  worlds  throughout  immensity, 
at  the  same  time  cares  for  the  wants  of  the  lit- 
tle brown  sparrow  that  sings  its  humble  song 
without  a  fear.  When  men  go  forth  to  their 
daily  toil,  as  when  they  engage  in  prayer ;  when 
they  lie  down  at  night,  and  when  they  rise  in 
the  morning ;  when  the  rich  man  feasts  in  his 
palace,  or  when  the  poor  man  gathers  his  chil- 
dren about  the  scanty  board,  each   is  tenderly 


108  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

watched  by  the  Heavenly  Father.  No  tears 
are  shed  that  God  does  not  notice.  There  is 
no  smile  that  he  does  not  mark. 

If  we  would  but  fully  believe  this,  all  undue 
anxieties  would  be  dismissed.  Our  lives  would 
not  be  so  filled  with  disappointment  as  now; 
for  everything,  whether  great  or  small,  would 
be  left  in  the  hands  of  God,  who  is  not  per- 
plexed by  the  multiplicity  of  cares,  or  over- 
whelmed by  their  weight.  We  should  then 
enjoy  a  rest  of  soul  to  which  many  have  long 
been  strangers. 

As  your  senses  delight  in  the  attractive  love- 
liness of  the  earth,  think  of  the  world  that  is  to 
come,  that  shall  never  know  the  blight  of  sin 
and  death;  where  the  face  of  nature  will  no 
more  wear  the  shadow  of  the  curse.  Let  your 
imagination  picture  the  home  of  the  saved,  and 
remember  that  it  will  be  more  glorious  than 
your  brightest  imagination  can  portray.  In  the 
varied  gifts  of  God  in  nature  we  see  but  the 
faintest  gleaming  of  his  glory.  It  is  written 
"  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have 
entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which 
God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him."1 
1 1  Cor.  2  :  9. 


A  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD.  109 

The  poet  and  the  naturalist  have  many  things 
to  say  about  nature,  but  it  is  the  Christian  who 
enjoys  the  beauty  of  the  earth  with  the  high- 
est appreciation,  because  he  recognizes  his 
Father's  handiwork,  and  perceives  his  love  in 
flower  and  shrub  and  tree.  No  one  can  fully 
appreciate  the  significance  of  hill  and  vale, 
river  and  sea,  who  does  not  look  upon  them  as 
an  expression  of  God's  love  to  man. 

God  speaks  to  us  through  his  providential 
workings,  and  through  the  influence  of  his 
Spirit  upon  the  heart.  In  our  circumstances 
and  surroundings,  in  the  changes  daily  taking 
place  around  us,  we  may  find  precious  lessons, 
if  our  hearts  are  but  open  to  discern  them.  The 
Psalmist,  tracing  the  work  of  God's  providence, 
says,  "  The  earth  is  full  of  the  goodness  of  the 
Lord."1  "Whoso  is  wise,  and  will  observe 
these  things,  even  they  shall  understand  the 
loving-kindness  of  Jehovah."2 

God  speaks  to  us  in  his  word.  Here  we  have 
in  clearer  lines  the  revelation  of  his  character, 
of  his  dealings  with  men,  and  the  great  work 
of  redemption.  Here  is  open  before  us  the 
history  of  patriarchs  and  prophets  and  other 
^s.  33:5.  2Ps.  107:43. 


110  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

holy  men  of  old.  They  were  "  men  subject  to 
like  passions  as  we  are."1  We  see  how  they 
struggled  through  discouragements  like  our 
own,  how  they  fell  under  temptation  as  we 
have  done,  and  yet  took  heart  again  and  con- 
quered through  the  grace  of  God:  and  behold- 
ing, we  are  encouraged  in  our  striving  after 
righteousness.  As  we  read  of  the  precious 
experiences  granted  them,  of  the  light  and  love 
and  blessing  it  was  theirs  to  enjoy,  and  of  the 
work  they  wrought  through  the  grace  given 
them,  the  spirit  that  inspired  them  kindles  a 
flame  of  holy  emulation  in  our  hearts,  and  a 
desire  to  be  like  them  in  character, —  like  them 
to  walk  with  God. 

Jesus  said  of  the  Old-Testament  Scriptures, 
—  and  how  much  more  is  it  true  of  the  New, — 
"  They  are  they  which  testify  of  me,"2  the  Re- 
deemer, him  in  whom  our  hopes  of  eternal  life 
are  centered.  Yes,  the  whole  Bible  tells  of 
Christ.  From  the  first  record  of  creation, — 
"  for  without  him  was  not  anything  made  that 
was  made,"3 —  to  the  closing  promise,  "  Behold, 
I  come  quickly,"4  we  are  reading  of  his  works 
and  listening  to    his   voice.     If  you  would  be- 

1  James  5: 17.   2  John  5:  39.   3Johnl:3.   *  Rev.  22:12. 


A   KNOWLEDGE  OF   GOD.  Ill 

come  acquainted  with  the  Saviour,  study  the 
Holy  Scriptures. 

Fill  the  whole  heart  with  the  words  of  God. 
They  are  the  living  water,  quenching  your 
burning  thirst.  They  are  the  living  bread 
from  heaven.  Jesus  declares,  "Except  ye  eat 
the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his 
blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you."  And  he  ex- 
plains himself  by  saying,  "  The  words  that  I 
speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit,  and  they  are 
life."1  Our  bodies  are  built  up  from  what  we 
eat  and  drink ;  and  as  in  the  natural  economy, 
so  in  the  spiritual  economy:  it  is  what  we  med- 
itate upon  that  will  give  tone  and  strength  to 
our  spiritual  nature. 

The  theme  of  redemption  is  one  that  the 
angels  desire  to  look  into;  it  will  be  the  sci- 
ence and  the  song  of  the  redeemed  throughout 
the  ceaseless  ages  of  eternity.  Is  it  not  wor- 
thy of  careful  thought  and  study  now?  The 
infinite  mercy  and  love  of  Jesus,  the  sacrifice 
made  in  our  behalf,  calls  for  the  most  serious 
and  solemn  reflection.  We  should  dwell  upon 
the  character  of  our  dear  Kedeemer  and  Inter- 
cessor. We  should  meditate  upon  the  mission 
UohneiSS,  63. 


112  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

of  him  who  came  to  save  his  people  from  their 
sins.  As  we  thus  contemplate  heavenly  themes, 
our  faith  and  love  will  grow  stronger,  and  our 
prayers  will  be  more  and  more  acceptable  to 
God,  because  they  will  be  more  and  more 
mixed  with  faith  and  love.  They  will  be  in- 
telligent and  fervent.  There  will  be  more 
constant  confidence  in  Jesus,  and  a  daily,  liv- 
ing experience  in  his  power  to  save  to  the  ut- 
termost all  that  come  unto  God  by  him. 

As  we  meditate  upon  the  perfections  of  the 
Saviour,  we  shall  desire  to  be  wholly  trans- 
formed, and  renewed  in  the  image  of  his  puri- 
ty. There  will  be  a  hungering  and  thirsting 
of  soul  to  become  like  him  whom  we  adore. 
The  more  our  thoughts  are  upon  Christ,  the 
more  we  shall  speak  of  him  to  others,  and  rep- 
resent him  to  the  world. 

The  Bible  was  not  written  for  the  scholar 
alone ;  on  the  contrary,  it  was  designed  for  the 
common  people.  The  great  truths  necessary 
for  salvation  are  made  as  clear  as  noonday; 
and  none  will  mistake  and  lose  their  way  ex- 
cept those  who  follow  their  own  judgment  in- 
stead of  the  plainly  revealed  will  of  God. 

We   should   not   take  the  testimony  of   any 


A    KNOWLEDGE   OF   GOD.  113 

man  as  to  what  the  Scriptures  teach,  but  should 
3tudy  the  words  of  God  for  ourselves.  If  we 
allow  others  to  do  our  thinking,  we  shall  have 
crippled  energies  and  contracted  abilities.  The 
noble  powers  of  the  mind  may  be  so  dwarfed 
by  lack  of  exercise  on  themes  worthy  of  their 
concentration  as  to  lose  their  ability  to  grasp 
the  deep  meaning  of  the  word  of  God.  The 
mind  will  enlarge  if  it  is  employed  in  tracing 
out  the  relation  of  the  subjects  of  the  Bible, 
comparing  scripture  with  scripture,  and  spirit- 
ual things  with  spiritual. 

There  is  nothing  more  calculated  to  strength- 
en the  intellect  than  the  study  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. No  other  book  is  so  potent  to  elevate 
the  thoughts,  to  give  vigor  to  the  faculties,  as 
the  broad,  ennobling  truths  of  the  Bible.  If 
God's  word  were  studied  as  it  should  be,  men 
would  have  a  breadth  of  mind,  a  nobility  of 
character,  and  a  stability  of  purpose  that  is 
rarely  seen  in  these  times. 

But  there  is  but  little  benefit  derived  from  a 
liasty  reading  of  the  Scriptures.  One  may 
read  the  whole  Bible  through,  and  yet  fail  to 
«ee  its  beauty  or  comprehend  its  deep  and  hid- 
den meaning.     One  passage  studied  until  its 


114  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

significance  is  clear  to  the  mind,  and  its  rela- 
tion to  the  plan  of  salvation  is  evident,  is  of 
more  value  than  the  perusal  of  many  chapters 
with  no  definite  purpose  in  view  and  no  posi- 
tive instruction  gained.  Keep  your  Bible  with 
you.  As  you  have  opportunity,  read  it ;  fix  the 
texts  in  your  memory.  Even  while  you  are 
walking  the  streets,  you  may  read  a  passage, 
and  meditate  upon  it,  thus  fixing  it  in  the  mind. 
We  cannot  obtain  wisdom  without  earnest 
attention  and  prayerful  study.  Some  portions 
of  Scripture  are  indeed  too  plain  to  be  misun- 
derstood; but  there  are  others  whose  meaning 
does  not  lie  on  the  surface,  to  be  seen  at  a 
glance.  Scripture  must  be  compared  with 
scripture.  There  must  be  careful  research  and 
prayerful  reflection.  And  such  study  will  be 
richly  repaid.  As  the  miner  discovers  veins 
of  precious  metal  concealed  beneath  the  sur- 
face of  the  earth,  so  will  he  who  perseveringly 
searches  the  word  of  God  as  for  hid  treasure, 
find  truths  of  the  greatest  value,  which  are 
concealed  from  the  view  of  the  careless  seeker. 
The  words  of  inspiration,  pondered  in  the 
heart,  will  be  as  streams  flowing  from  the 
fountain  of  life. 


A  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOB.  115 

Never  should  the  Bible  be  studied  without 
prayer.  Before  opening  its  pages  we  should 
ask  for  the  enlightenment  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  it  will  be  given.  When  Nathanael  came 
to  Jesus,  the  Saviour  exclaimed,  "Behold  an 
Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  is  no  guile."  Na- 
thanael said,  "Whence  knowest  thou  me?" 
Jesus  answered,  "  Before  that  Philip  called 
thee,  when  thou  wast  under  the  fig-tree,  I  saw 
thee."1  And  Jesus  will  see  us  also  in  the  se- 
cret places  of  prayer,  if  we  will  seek  him  for 
light,  that  we  may  know  what  is  truth.  An- 
gels from  the  world  of  light  will  be  with  those 
who  in  humility  of  heart  seek  for  divine  guid- 
ance. 

The  Holy  Spirit  exalts  and  glorifies  the 
Saviour.  It  is  his  office  to  present  Christ,  the 
purity  of  his  righteousness,  and  the  great  sal- 
vation that  we  have  through  him.  Jesus  says, 
"  He  shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall  show  it 
unto  you."2  The  Spirit  of  truth  is  the  only 
effectual  teacher  of  divine  truth.  How  must 
God  esteem  the  human  race,  since  he  gave  his 
Son  to  die  for  them,  and  appoints  his  Spirit  to 
be  man's  teacher  and  continual  guide. 

1  John  1 :  47,  48.  8  John  16  :  14. 


THE  PRIVILEGE  OF  PRAYER. 


Through  nature  and  revelation,  through  his 
providence  and  by  the  influence  of  his  Spirit, 
God  speaks  to  us.  But  these  are  not  enough ; 
we  need  also  to  pour  out  our  hearts  to  him.  In 
order  to  have  spiritual  life  and  energy,  we  must 
have  actual  intercourse  with  our  Heavenly 
Father.  Our  minds  may  be  drawn  out  toward 
him;  we  may  meditate  upon  his  works,  his 
mercies,  his  blessings ;  but  this  is  not,  in  the 
fullest  sense,  communing  with  him.  In  order 
to  commune  with  God,  we  must  have  some- 
thing to  say  to  him  concerning  our  actual  life. 

Prayer  is  the  opening  of  the  heart  to  God  as 
to  a  friend.  Not  that  it  is  necessary,  in  order 
to  make  known  to  God  what  we  are,  but  in  or- 
der to  enable  us  to  receive  him.  Prayer  does 
not  bring  God  down  to  us,  but  brings  us  up  to 
him. 

When  Jesus  was  upon  the  earth,  he  taught 
his  disciples  how  to  pray.  He  directed  them 
to  present  their  daily  needs  before  God,  and  to 
[116] 


THE  PRIVILEGE  OF  PRAYER.  Ill 

cast  all  their  care  upon  him.  And  the  assur- 
ance he  gave  them  that  their  petitions  should 
be  heard,  is  assurance  also  to  us. 

Jesus  himself,  while  he  dwelt  among  men, 
was  often  in  prayer.  Our  Saviour  identified 
himself  with  our  needs  and  weaknesses,  in  that 
he  became  a  suppliant,  a  petitioner,  seeking 
from  his  Father  fresh  supplies  of  strength,  that 
he  might  come  forth  braced  for  duty  and  trial. 
He  is  our  example  in  all  things.  He  is  a 
brother  in  our  infirmities,  "  in  all  points  tempt- 
ed like  as  we  are;"  but  as  the  sinless  one,  his 
nature  recoiled  from  evil;  he  endured  strug- 
gles and  torture  of  soul  in  a  world  of  sin. 
His  humanity  made  prayer  a  necessity  and  a 
privilege.  He  found  comfort  and  joy  in  com- 
munion with  his  Father.  And  if  the  Saviour 
of  men,  the  Son  of  God,  felt  the  need  of  prayer, 
how  much  more  should  feeble,  sinful  mortals 
feel  the  necessity  of  fervent,  constant  prayer. 

Our  Heavenly  Father  waits  to  bestow  upon 
us  the  fullness  of  his  blessing.  It  is  our  privi- 
lege to  drink  largely  at  the  fountain  of  bound- 
less love.  What  a  wonder  it  is  that  we  pray 
so  little!  God  is  ready  and  willing  to  hear 
the  sincere   prayer   of  the    humblest    of  his 


118  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

children,  and  yet  there  is  much  manifest  re- 
luctance on  our  part  to  make  known  our  wants 
to  God.  What  can  the  angels  of  heaven  think 
of  poor  helpless  human  beings,  who  are  subject 
to  temptation,  when  God's  heart  of  infinite 
love  yearns  toward  them,  ready  to  give  them 
more  than  they  can  ask  or  think,  and  yet  they 
pray  so  little,  and  have  so  little  faith?  The 
angels  love  to  bow  before  God ;  they  love  to  be 
near  him.  They  regard  communion  with  God 
as  their  highest  joy;  and  yet  the  children  of 
earth,  who  need  so  much  the  help  that  God  only 
can  give,  seem  satisfied  to  walk  without  the 
light  of  his  Spirit,  the  companionship  of  his 
presence. 

The  darkness  of  the  evil  one  incloses  those 
who  neglect  to  pray.  The  whispered  tempta- 
tions of  the  enemy  entice  them  to  sin ;  and  it  is 
all  because  they  do  not  make  use  of  the  privi- 
leges that  God  has  given  them  in  the  divine 
appointment  of  prayer.  Why  should  the  sons 
and  daughters  of  God  be  reluctant  to  pray, 
when  prayer  is  the  key  in  the  hand  of  faith  to 
unlock  heaven's  storehouse,  where  are  treas- 
ured the  boundless  resources  of  Omnipotence? 
Without  unceasing  prayer  and  diligent  watch- 


THE  PRIVILEGE   OF  PRAYER.  119 

ing,  we  are  in  danger  of  growing  careless  and 
of  deviating  from  the  right  path.  The  adver- 
sary seeks  continually  to  obstruct  the  way  to 
the  mercy-seat,  that  we  may  not  by  earnest 
supplication  and  faith  obtain  grace  and  power 
to  resist  temptation. 

There  are  certain  conditions  upon  which  we 
may  expect  that  God  will  hear  and  answer  our 
prayers.  One  of  the  first  of  these  is  that  we 
feel  our  need  of  help  from  him.  He  has 
promised,  "  I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is 
thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry  ground."1 
Those  who  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness, who  long  after  God,  may  be  sure  that 
they  will  be  filled.  The  heart  must  be  open  to 
the  Spirit's  influence,  or  God's  blessing  can- 
not be  received. 

Our  great  need  is  itself  an  argument,  and 
pleads  most  eloquently  in  our  behalf.  But  the 
Lord  is  to  be  sought  unto  to  do  these  things 
for  us.  He  says,  "Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given 
you."  And  "  he  that  spared  not  his  own  Son, 
but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he 
not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  ?  "* 

If  we  regard  iniquity  in  our  hearts,  if  we 
1  Isa.  44 :  3.  2  Matt.  7:7;  Rom.  8 :  32. 


120  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

cling  to  any  known  sin,  the  Lord  will  not  hear 
us :  but  the  prayer  of  the  penitent,  contrite  soul 
is  always  accepted.  AYhen  all  known  wrongs 
are  righted,  we  may  believe  that  God  will  an- 
swer our  petitions.  Our  own  merit  will  never 
commend  us  to  the  favor  of  God ;  it  is  the 
worthiness  of  Jesus  that  will  save  us,  his  blood 
that  will  cleanse  us;  yet  we  have  a  work  to  do 
in  complying  with  the  conditions  of  acceptance. 

Another  element  of  prevailing  prayer  is 
faith.  "  He  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe 
that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them 
that  diligently  seek  him."  Jesus  said  to  his 
disciples,  "  What  things  soever  ye  desire  when 
ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive  tliem,  and  ye 
shall  have  them."1  Do  we  take  him  at  his 
word  ? 

The  assurance  is  broad  and  unlimited,  and 
he  is  faithful  who  has  promised.  When  we 
do  not  receive  the  very  things  we  ask  for,  at 
the  time  we  ask,  we  are  still  to  believe  that 
the  Lord  hears,  and  that  he  will  answer  our 
prayers.  We  are  so  erring  and  shortsighted 
that  we  sometimes  ask  for  things  that  would 
not  be  a  blessing  to  us,  and  our  Heavenly 
1Heb.  11:6;  Mark  11 :  24. 


TEE  PRIVILEGE  OF  PRATER.  121 

Father  in  love  answers  our  prayers  by  giving 
us  that  which  will  be  for  our  highest  good, — 
that  which  we  ourselves  would  desire  if  with 
vision  divinely  enlightened  we  could  see  all 
things  as  they  really  are.  When  our  prayera 
seem  not  to  be  answered,  we  are  to  cling  to  the 
promise ;  for  the  time  of  answering  will  surely 
come,  and  we  shall  receive  the  blessing  we  need 
most.  But  to  claim  that  prayer  will  always  be 
answered  in  the  very  way  and  for  the  particu- 
lar thing  that  we  desire,  is  presumption.  God 
is  too  wise  to  err,  and  too  good  to  withhold 
any  good  thing  from  them  that  walk  uprightly. 
Then  do  not  fear  to  trust  him,  even  though  you 
do  not  see  the  immediate  answer  to  your 
prayers.  Rely  upon  his  sure  promise.  "Ask, 
and  it  shall  be  given  you." 

If  we  take  counsel  with  our  doubts  and  fears, 
or  try  to  solve  everything  that  we  cannot  see 
clearly,  before  we  have  faith,  perplexities  will 
only  increase  and  deepen.  But  if  we  come  to 
God,  feeling  helpless  and  dependent,  as  we  re- 
ally are,  and  in  humble,  trusting  faith  make 
known  our  wants  to  him  whose  knowledge  is 
infinite,  who  sees  everything  in  creation,  and 
^v  ho  governs  everything  by  his  will  and  word, 


122  STEPS   TO  CHRIST. 

he  can  and  will  attend  to  our  cry,  and  will  let 
light  shine  into  our  hearts.  Through  sincere 
prayer  we  are  brought  into  connection  with 
the  mind  of  the  Infinite.  We  may  have  no 
remarkable  evidence  at  the  time  that  the  face 
of  our  Redeemer  is  bending  over  us  in  compas- 
sion and  love ;  but  this  is  even  so.  We  may 
not  feel  his  visible  touch,  but  his  hand  is  upon 
us  in  love  and  pitying  tenderness. 

When  we  come  to  ask  mercy  and  blessing 
from  God,  we  should  have  a  spirit  of  love  and 
forgiveness  in  our  own  hearts.  How  can  we 
pray,  "Forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our 
debtors,"1  and  yet  indulge  an  unforgiving 
spirit?  If  we  expect  our  own  prayers  to  be 
heard,  we  must  forgive  others  in  the  same  man- 
ner, and  to  the  same  extent,  as  we  hope  to  be 
iorgiven. 

Perseverance  in  prayer  has  been  made  a 
^condition  of  receiving.  We  must  pray  always, 
if  we  would  grow  in  faith  and  experience.  We 
are  to  be  "  instant  in  prayer,"  "  to  continue  in 
prayer,  and  watch  in  the  same  with  thanks- 
giving. ,2  Peter  exhorts  believers  to  be  "  sober, 
and  watch    unto  prayer."8     Paul  directs,  "  In 

1  Matt.  6:12.    2  Rom.  12  :  12;  Col.  4  :  2.    31  Peter  4:  7. 


THE  PRIVILEGE   OF  PRAYER.  123 

everything  by  prayer  and  supplication,  with 
thanksgiving,  let  your  requests  be  made  known 
unto  God."1  "But  ye,  beloved,"  says  Jude, 
"  praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  keep  yourselves 
in  the  love  of  God."2  Unceasing  prayer  is  the 
unbroken  union  of  the  soul  with  God,  so  that 
life  from  God  flows  into  our  life ;  and  from  our 
life,  purity  and  holiness  flow  back  to  God. 

There  is  necessity  for  diligence  in  prayer; 
let  nothing  hinder  you.  Make  every  effort  to 
keep  open  the  communion  between  Jesus  and 
your  own  soul.  Seek  every  opportunity  to  go 
where  prayer  is  wont  to  be  made.  Those  who 
are  really  seeking  for  communion  with  God, 
will  be  seen  in  the  prayer-meeting,  faithful  to 
do  their  duty,  and  earnest  and  anxious  to  reap 
all  the  benefits  they  can  gain.  They  will  im- 
prove every  opportunity  of  placing  themselves 
where  they  can  receive  the  rays  of  light  from 
heaven. 

We  should  pray  in  the  family  circle;  and 
above  all  we  must  not  neglect  secret  prayer; 
for  this  is  the  life  of  the  soul.  It  is  impossible 
for  the  soul  to  flourish  while  prayer  is  neg- 
lected. Family  or  public  prayer  alone  is  not 
1  Phil.  4:6.  2  Jude  20:  21. 


124  STEPS  TO   CHRIST. 

sufficient.  In  solitude  let  the  soul  be  laid 
open  to  the  inspecting  eye  of  God.  Secret 
prayer  is  to  be  heard  only  by  the  prayer-hear- 
ing God.  No  curious  ear  is  to  receive  the 
burden  of  such  petitions.  In  secret  prayer  the 
soul  is  free  from  surrounding  influences,  free 
from  excitement.  Calmly,  yet  fervently,  will 
it  reach  out  after  God.  Sweet  and  abiding 
will  be  the  influence  emanating  from  him  who 
seeth  in  secret,  whose  ear  is  open  to  hear  the 
prayer  arising  from  the  heart.  By  calm,  simple 
faith,  the  soul  holds  communion  with  God,  and 
gathers  to  itself  rays  of  divine  light  to  strength- 
en and  sustain  it  in  the  conflict  with  Satan. 
God  is  our  tower  of  strength. 

Pray  in  your  closet;  and  as  you  go  about 
your  daily  labor,  let  your  heart  be  often  up- 
lifted to  God.  It  was  thus  that  Enoch 
walked  with  God.  These  silent  prayers  rise 
like  precious  incense  before  the  throne  of  grace. 
Satan  cannot  overcome  him  whose  heart  is 
thus  stayed  upon  God. 

There  is  no  time  or  place  in  which  it  is  in- 
appropriate to  offer  up  a  petition  to  God.  There 
is  nothing  that  can  prevent  us  from  lifting  up 
our  hearts  in  the  spirit  of  earnest  prayer.     In 


THE  PRIVILEGE  OF  PRATER.  125 

the  crowds  of  the  street,  in  the  midst  of  a  busi- 
ness engagement,  we  may  send  up  a  petition 
to  God,  and  plead  for  divine  guidance,  as  did 
Nehemiah  when  he  made  his  request  before 
the  King  Artaxerxes.  A  closet  of  communion 
may  be  found  wherever  we  are.  We  should 
have  the  door  of  the  heart  open  continually, 
and  our  invitation  going  up  that  Jesus  may 
come  and  abide  as  a  heavenly  guest  in  the 
soul. 

Although  there  may  be  a  tainted,  corrupted 
atmosphere  around  us,  we  need  not  breathe  its 
miasma,  but  may  live  in  the  pure  air  of  heav- 
en. We  may  close  every  door  to  impure  im- 
aginings and  unholy  thoughts  by  lifting  the 
soul  into  the  presence  of  God  through  sincere 
prayer.  Those  whose  hearts  are  open  to  re- 
ceive the  support  and  blessing  of  God  will 
walk  in  a  holier  atmosphere  than  that  of  earth, 
and  will  have  constant  communion  with  Heaven. 

We  need  to  have  more  distinct  views  of  Je- 
sus, and  a  fuller  comprehension  of  the  value 
of  eternal  realities.  The  beauty  of  holiness  is- 
to  fill  the  hearts  of  God's  children ;  and  that 
this  may  be  accomplished,  we  should  seek  for 
divine  disclosures  of  heavenly  things. 


126  STEPS    TO  CHRIST. 

Let  the  soul  be  drawn  out  and  upward,  that 
God  may  grant  us  a  breath  of  the  heavenly  at- 
mosphere. We  may  keep  so  near  to  God  that 
in  every  unexpected  trial  our  thoughts  will 
turn  to  him  as  naturally  as  the  flower  turns 
to  the  sun. 

Keep  your  wants,  your  joys,  your  sorrows, 
jour  cares,  and  your  fears  before  God.  You 
<?annot  burden  him;  you  cannot  weary  him. 
He  who  numbers  the  hairs  cf  your  head  is  riot 
indifferent  to  the  wants  of  his  children.  "The 
Lord  is  very  pitiful,  and  of  tender  mercy."1 
His  heart  of  love  is  touched  by  our  sorrows, 
and  even  by  our  utterance  of  them.  Take  to 
him  everything  that  perplexes  the  mind.  Noth- 
ing is  too  great  for  him  to  bear,  for  he  holds 
up  worlds,  he  rules  over  all  the  affairs  of  the 
universe.  Nothing  that  in  any  way  concerns 
our  peace  is  too  small  for  him  to  notice.  There 
is  no  chapter  in  our  experience  too  dark  for 
him  to  read;  there  is  no  perplexity  too  difficult 
'for  him  to  unravel.  No  calamity  can  befall  the 
least  of  his  children,  no  anxiety  harass  the 
■soul,  no  joy  cheer,  no  sincere  prayer  escape  the 
lips,  of  which  our  Heavenly  Father  is  unob- 
1  James  5:11. 


THE  PRIVILEGE   OF  PRAYER.  127 

servant,  or  in  which  he  takes  no  immediate  in- 
terest. "  He  healeth  the  broken  in  heart,  and. 
bindeth  up  their  wounds."1  The  relations  be- 
tween God  and  each  soul  are  as  distinct  and. 
full  as  though  there  were  not  another  soul  for 
whom  he  gave  his  beloved  Son. 

Jesus  said,  "  Ye  shall  ask  in  my  name:  and. 
I  say  not  unto  you  that  I  will  pray  the  Father 
for  you;  for  the  Father  himself  loveth you." 
"  I  have  chosen  you,  .  .  .  that  whatsoever 
ye  shall  ask  of  the  Father  in  my  name,  he  may 
give  it  you."2  But  to  pray  in  the  name  of  Je- 
sus is  something  more  than  a  mere  mention  of 
that  name  at  the  beginning  and  the  ending  of 
a  prayer.  It  is  to  pray  in  the  mind  and  spirit 
of  Jesus,  while  we  believe  his  promises,  rely 
upon  his  grace,  and  work  his  works. 

God  does  not  mean  that  any  of  us  should 
become  hermits  or  monks,  and  retire  from  the 
world,  in  order  to  devote  ourselves  to  acts  of 
worship.  The  life  must  be  like  Christ's  life, — 
between  the  mountain  and  the  multitude.  He 
who  does  nothing  but  pray  will  soon  cease  to- 
pray,  or  his  prayers  will  become  a  formal  rou- 
tine.    When  men  take  themselves  out  of  social 

1  Ps.  147  :  3.  2  John  16  :  26,  27  ;  15  :  16. 


128  STEPS  TO  CHRIST. 

life,  away  from  the  sphere  of  Christian  duty 
and  cross-bearing;  when  they  cease  to  work 
earnestly  for  the  Master,  who  worked  earnestly 
for  them,  they  lose  the  subject-matter  of 
prayer,  and  have  no  incentive  to  devotion. 
Their  prayers  become  personal  and  selfish. 
They  cannot  pray  in  regard  to  the  wants  of 
humanity  or  the  upbuilding  of  Christ's  king- 
dom, pleading  for  strength  wherewith  to  work. 

We  sustain  a  loss  when  we  neglect  the  priv- 
ilege of  associating  together  to  strengthen  and 
encourage  one  another  in  the  service  of  God. 
The  truths  of  his  word  lose  their  vividness  and 
importance  in  our  minds.  Our  hearts  cease  to 
be  enlightened  and  aroused  by  the  sanctifying 
influence,  and  we  decline  in  spirituality.  In 
our  association  as  Christians  we  lose  much  by 
lack  of  sympathy  with  one  another.  He  who 
shuts  himself  up  to  himself  is  not  filling  the 
position  that  God  designed  he  should.  The 
proper  cultivation  of  the  social  elements  in  our 
nature  brings  us  into  sympathy  with  others, 
and  is  a  means  of  development  and  strength  to 
us  in  the  service  of  God. 

If  Christians  would  associate  together, 
speaking  to  each  other  of  the  love  of  God,  and 


THE  PRIVILEGE   OF  PRAYER.         129 

of  the  precious  truths  of  redemption,  their  own 
hearts  would  be  refreshed,  and  they  would  re- 
fresh one  another.  We  may  be  daily  learning 
more  of  our  Heavenly  Father,  gaining  a  fresh 
experience  of  his  grace ;  then  we  shall  desire  to 
speak  of  his  love;  and  as  we  do  this,  our  own 
hearts  will  be  warmed  and  encouraged.  If  we 
thought  and  talked  more  of  Jesus,  and  less  of 
self,  we  should  have  far  more  of  his  presence. 
If  we  would  but  think  of  God  as  often  as  we 
have  evidence  of  his  care  for  us,  we  should  keep 
him  ever  in  our  thoughts,  and  should  delight  to 
talk  of  him  and  to  praise  him.  We  talk  of 
temporal  things  because  we  have  an  interest  in 
them.  We  talk  of  our  friends  because  we  love 
them ;  our  joys  and  our  sorrows  are  bound  up 
with  them.  Yet  we  have  infinitely  greater 
reason  to  love  God  than  to  love  our  earthly 
friends,  and  it  should  be  the  most  natural  thing 
in  the  world  to  make  him  first  in  all  our 
thoughts,  to  talk  of  his  goodness  and  tell  of 
his  power.  The  rich  gifts  he  has  bestowed 
upon  us  were  not  intended  to  absorb  our 
thoughts  and  love  so  much  that  we  should 
have  nothing  to  give  to  God;  they  are 
constantly  to  remind  us  of  him,  and  to  bind  us 


130  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

in  bonds  of  love  and  gratitude  to  our  heavenly 
Benefactor.  We  dwell  too  near  the  low-lands 
of  earth.  Let  us  raise  our  eyes  to  the  open 
door  of  the  sanctuary  above,  where  the  light  of 
the  glory  of  God  shines  in  the  face  of  Christ, 
who  "  is  able  also  to  save  them  to  the  utter- 
most that  come  unto  God  by  him."  ■ 

We  need  to  praise  God  more  "  for  his  good- 
ness, and  for  his  wonderful  works  to  the  chil- 
dren of  men." 2  Our  devotional  exercises 
should  not  consist  wholly  in  asking  and  re- 
ceiving. Let  us  not  be  always  thinking  of  our 
wants,  and  never  of  the  benefits  we  receive. 
We  do  not  pray  any  too  much,  but  we  are  too 
sparing  of  giving  thanks.  We  are  the  con- 
stant recipients  of  God's  mercies,  and  yet  how 
little  gratitude  we  express,  how  little  we  praise 
him  for  what  he  has  done  for  us. 

Anciently  the.  Lord  bade  Israel,  when  they 
met  together  for  his  service,  "Ye  shall  eat  be- 
fore the  Lord  your  God,  and  ye  shall  rejoice  in 
all  that  ye  put  your  hand  unto,  ye  and  your 
households,  wherein  the  Lord  thy  God  hath 
blessed  thee."  8  That  which  is  done  for  the 
glory  of  God   should  be  done  with  cheerful- 

1  Heb.  7 :  25.  2  Ps.  107  :  8.  3  Deut.  12 :  7. 


THE  PRIVILEGE   OF  PRAYER.  131 

ness,  with  songs  of  praise  and  thanksgiving, 
not  with  sadness  and  gloom. 

Our  God  is  a  tender,  merciful  Father.  His 
service  should  not  be  looked  upon  as  a  heart- 
saddening,  distressing  exercise.  It  should  be 
a  pleasure  to  worship  the  Lord  and  to  take 
part  in  his  work.  God  would  not  have  his 
children,  for  whom  so  great  salvation  has  been 
provided,  act  as  if  he  were  a  hard,  exacting 
taskmaster.  He  is  their  best  friend ;  and  when 
they  worship  him,  he  expects  to  be  with  them, 
Jobless  and  comfort  them,  filling  their  hearts 
with  joy  and  love.  The  Lord  desires  his  chil- 
dren to  take  comfort  in  his  service,  and  to  find 
more  pleasure  than  hardship  in  his  work.  He 
desires  that  those  who  come  to  worship  him 
shall  carry  away  with  them  precious  thoughts 
of  his  care  and  love,  that  they  may  be  cheered 
in  all  the  employments  of  daily  life,  that  they 
may  have  grace  to  deal  honestly  and  faithfully 
in  all  things. 

We  must  gather  about  the  cross.  Christ 
and  him  crucified  should  be  the  theme  of  con- 
templation, of  conversation,  and  of  our  most 
joyful  emotion.  We  should  keep  in  our 
thoughts  every  blessing  we  receive  from  God ; 


132  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

and  when  we  realize  his  great  love,  we  should 
be  willing  to  trust  everything  to  the  hand  that 
was  nailed  to  the  cross  for  us. 

The  soul  may  ascend  nearer  heaven  on  the 
wings  of  praise.  God  is  worshipped  with  song 
and  music  in  the  courts  above,  and  as  we  ex- 
press our  gratitude,  we  are  approximating  to 
the  worship  of  the  heavenly  hosts.  "  Whoso 
offer eth  praise  glorifieth  God."  !  Let  us  with 
reverent  joy  come  before  our  Creator,  "with 
thanksgiving,  and  the  voice  of  melody."  2 

1  Ps.  50  :  23.  2  Isa.  51 :  3. 


WHAT  TO  DO  WITH  DOUBT. 


Many,  especially  those  who  are  young  in  the 
Christian  life,  are  at  times  troubled  with  the 
suggestions  of  skepticism.  There  are  in  the 
Bible  many  things  which  they  cannot  explain, 
or  even  understand,  and  Satan  employs  these 
to  shake  their  faith  in  the  Scriptures  as  a  reve- 
lation from  God.  They  ask,  "How  shall  I 
know  the  right  way  ?  If  the  Bible  is  indeed 
the  word  of  God,  how  can  I  be  freed  from  these 
doubts  and  perplexities?" 

God  never  asks  us  to  believe,  without  giving 
sufficient  evidence  upon  which  to  base  our 
faith.  His  existence,  his  character,  the  truth- 
fulness of  his  word,  are  all  established  by  tes- 
timony that  appeals  to  our  reason;  and  this 
testimony  is  abundant.  Yet  God  has  never 
removed  the  possibility  of  doubt.  Our  faith 
must  rest  upon  evidence,  not  demonstration. 
Those  who  wish  to  doubt  will  have  opportunity ; 
while    those   who   really    desire   to   know  the 

[133] 


134  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

truth,  will  find  plenty  of  evidence  on  which  to 
rest  their  faith. 

It  is  impossible  for  finite  minds  fully  to  com- 
prehend the  character  or  the  works  of  the  Infinite 
One.  To  the  keenest  intellect,  the  most  highly 
educated  mind,  that  holy  Being  must  ever  re- 
main clothed  in  mystery.  "  Canst  thou  by 
searching  find  out  God?  canst  thou  find  out 
the  Almighty  unto  perfection?  It  is  as  high 
as  heaven;  what  canst  thou  do?  deeper  than 
hell;  what  canst  thou  know?"  ! 

The  apostle  Paul  exclaims,  "  O  the  depth  of 
the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of 
God!  how  unsearchable  are  his  judgments, 
and  his  ways  past  finding  out!"9  But  though 
"clouds  and  darkness  are  round  about  him, 
righteousness  and  judgment  are  the  foundation 
of  his  throne."  3  We  can  so  far  comprehend 
his  dealing  with  us,  and  the  motives  by  which 
he  is  actuated,  that  we  may  discern  boundless 
love  and  mercy  united  to  infinite  power.  We 
can  understand  as  much  of  his  purposes  as  it  is 
for  our  good  to  know;  and  beyond  this  we  must 
still  trust  the  hand  that  is  omnipotent,  the 
heart  that  is  full  of  love. 

1  Job  11 :  7,  8.     2  Rom.  11 :  33.     3  Ps.  97 :  2,  R.  V. 


WHAT  TO  DO   WITH  DOUBT.  135 

The  word  of  God,  like  the  character  of  its 
divine  Author,  presents  mysteries  that  can  nev- 
er be  fully  comprehended  by  finite  beings. 
The  entrance  of  sin  into  the  world,  the  incar- 
nation of  Christ,  regeneration,  the  resurrec- 
tion, and  many  other  subjects  presented  in  the 
Bible,  are  mysteries  too  deep  for  the  human 
mind  to  explain,  or  even  fully  to  comprehend. 
But  we  have  no  reason  to  doubt  God's  word 
because  we  cannot  understand  the  mysteries  of 
his  providence.  In  the  natural  world  we  are 
constantly  surrounded  with  mysteries  that  we 
cannot  fathom.  The  very  humblest  forms  of 
life  present  a  problem  that  the  wisest  of  phil- 
osophers is  powerless  to  explain.  Everywhere 
are  wonders  beyond  our  ken.  Should  we  then 
be  surprised  to  find  that  in  the  spiritual  world 
also  there  are  mysteries  that  we  cannot  fath- 
om ?  The  difficulty  lies  solely  in  the  weakness 
and  narrowness  of  the  human  mind.  God  has 
given  us  in  the  Scriptures  sufficient  evidence 
of  their  divine  character,  and  we  are  not  to 
doubt  his  word  because  we  cannot  understand 
all  the  mysteries  of  his  providence. 

The    apostle   Peter   says   that   there  are  in 
Scripture     "things    hard   to   be    understood, 


136  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

which  they  that  are  unlearned  and  unstable 
wrest  .  .  .  unto  their  own  destruction. "  *  The 
difficulties  of  Scripture  have  been  urged  by 
skeptics  as  an  argument  against  the  Bible;  but 
so  far  from  this,  they  constitute  a  strong  evi- 
dence of  its  divine  inspiration.  If  it  contained 
no  account  of  God  but  that  which  we  could 
easily  comprehend;  if  his  greatness  and  majesty 
could  be  grasped  by  finite  minds,  then  the 
Bible  would  not  bear  the  unmistakable  cre- 
dentials of  divine  authority.  The  very  gran- 
deur and  mystery  of  the  themes  presented, 
should  inspire  faith  in  it  as  the  word  of 
God. 

The  Bible  unfolds  truth  with  a  simplicity 
and  a  perfect  adaptation  to  the  needs  and  long- 
ings of  the  human  heart,  that  has  astonished 
and  charmed  the  most  highly  cultivated  minds, 
while  it  enables  the  humble  and  uncultured  to 
discern  the  way  of  salvation.  And  yet  these 
simply  stated  truths  lay  hold  upon  subjects  so 
elevated,  so  far-reaching,  so  infinitely  beyond 
the  power  of  human  comprehension,  that  we 
can  accept  them  only  because  God  has  declared 
them.  Thus  the  plan  of  redemption  is 
1  2  Peter  3  :  16. 


WHAT    TO   DO   WITH   DOUBT.  137 

laid  open  to  us,  so  that  every  soul  may  see 
the  steps  he  is  to  take  in  repentance  toward 
God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
in  order  to  be  saved  in  God's  appointed  way; 
yet  beneath  these  truths,  so  easily  understood, 
lie  mysteries  that  are  the  hiding  of  his  glory, 
—  mysteries  that  overpower  the  mind  in  its  re- 
search, yet  inspire  the  sincere  seeker  for  truth 
with  reverence  and  faith.  The  more  he  searches 
the  Bible,  the  deeper  is  his  conviction  that  it  is 
the  word  of  the  living  God,  and  human  reason 
bows  before  the  majesty  of  divine  revelation. 

To  acknowledge  that  we  cannot  fully  com- 
prehend the  great  truths  of  the  Bible  is  only 
to  admit  that  the  finite  mind  is  inadequate  to 
grasp  the  infinite ;  that  man,  with  his  limited, 
human  knowledge,  cannot  understand  the  pur- 
poses of  Omniscience. 

Because  they  cannot  fathom  all  its  myster- 
ies, the  skeptic  and  the  infidel  reject  God's 
word;  and  not  all  who  profess  to  believe  the 
Bible  are  free  from  danger  on  this  point.  The 
apostle  says,  "  Take  heed,  brethren,  lest  there 
be  in  any  of  you  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in 
departing  from  the  living  God."  '  It  is  right 
10  »  Heb.  3  :  12. 


138  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

to  study  closely  the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  and 
to  search  into  "the  deep  things  of  God,"1 
so  far  as  they  are  revealed  in  Scripture.  While 
"  the  secret  things  belong  unto  the  Lord  our 
God,"  "  those  things  which  are  revealed  be- 
long unto  us."2  But  it  is  Satan's  work  to  per- 
vert the  investigative  powers  of  the  mind.  A 
certain  pride  is  mingled  with  the  consideration 
of  Bible  truth,  so  that  men  feel  impatient  and 
defeated  if  they  cannot  explain  every  portion 
of  Scripture  to  their  satisfaction.  It  is  too 
humiliating  to  them  to  acknowledge  that  they 
do  not  understand  the  inspired  words.  They 
are  unwilling  to  wait  patiently  until  God  shall 
see  fit  to  reveal  the  truth  to  them.  They 
feel  that  their  unaided  human  wisdom  is 
sufficient  to  enable  them  to  comprehend  the 
Scripture,  and  failing  to  do  this,  they  virtu- 
ally deny  its  authority.  It  is  true  that  many 
theories  and  doctrines  popularly  supposed  to 
be  derived  from  the  Bible  have  no  foundation 
in  its  teaching,  and  indeed  are  contrary  to 
the  whole  tenor  of  inspiration.  These  things 
have  been  a  cause  of  doubt  and  perplexity  to 
many  minds.  They  are  not,  however,  charge- 
1 1  Cor.  2  :  10.  2  Deut.  29  :  29. 


WHAT   TO  DO    WITH  DOUBT.  1391 

able  to  God's  word,  but  to  man's  perversion 
of  it 

If  it  were  possible  for  created  beings  to  at- 
tain to  a  full  understanding  of  God  and  his 
works,  then,  having  reached  this  point,  there 
would  be  for  them  no  further  discovery  of 
truth,  no  growth  in  knowledge  no  further  de- 
velopment of  mind  or  heart.  God  would  no 
longer  be  supreme ;  and  man,  having  reached 
the  limit  of  knowledge  and  attainment,  would 
cease  to  advance.  Let  us  thank  God  that  it  is 
not  so.  God  is  infinite;  in  him  are  "all  the 
treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge."  '  And  to 
all  eternity  men  may  be  ever  searching,  ever 
learning,  and  yet  never  exhaust  the  treasures 
of  his  wisdom,  his  goodness,  and  his  power. 

God  intends  that  even  in  this  life  the  truths 
of  his  word  shall  be  ever  unfolding  to  his  peo- 
ple. There  is  only  one  way  in  which  this 
knowledge  can  be  obtained.  We  can  attain  to 
an  understanding  of  God's  word  only  through 
the  illumination  of  that  Spirit  by  which  the 
word  was  given.  "  The  things  of  God  know- 
eth  no  man,  but  the  Spirit  of  God;"  "  for  the 
Spirit  searcheth  all  things,  yea,  the  deep  things 
1  Col.  2  :  3. 


140  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

of  God."1     And  the   Saviour's  promise  to  his 
followers  was,   "  When  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth, 
is  come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all  truth     . 
For  he  shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall  show 
it  unto  you."2 

God  desires  man  to  exercise  his  reasoning 
powers;  and  the  study  of  the  Bible  will 
strengthen  and  elevate  the  mind  as  no  other 
study  can.  Yet  we  are  to  beware  of  deifying 
reason,  which  is  subject  to  the  weakness  and 
infirmity  of  humanity.  If  we  would  not  have 
the  Scriptures  clouded  to  our  understanding, 
so  that  the  plainest  truths  shall  not  be  com- 
prehended, we  must  have  the  simplicity  and 
faith  of  a  little  child,  ready  to  learn,  and  be- 
seeching the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  A  sense 
of  the  power  and  wisdom  of  God,  and  of  our 
inability  to  comprehend  his  greatness,  should 
inspire  us  with  humility,  and  we  should  open 
his  word,  as  we  would  enter  his  presence,  with 
holy  awe.  When  we  come  to  the  Bible,  reason 
must  acknowledge  an  authority  superior  to  it- 
self, and  heart  and  intellect  must  bow  to  the 
great  I  AM. 

There   are    many  things  apparently  difficult 
M  Cor.  2:11,  10.  2  John  16  :  13,  14. 


WHAT    TO   DO    WITH   DOUBT,  141 

or  obscure,  which  God  will  make  plain  and 
simple  to  those  who  thus  seek  an  understand- 
ing of  them.  But  without  the  guidance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  we  shall  be  continually  liable  to 
wrest  the  Scriptures  or  to  misinterpret  them. 
There  is  much  reading  of  the  Bible  that  is 
without  profit,  and  in  many  cases  is  a  positive 
injury.  When  the  word  of  God  is  opened 
without  reverence  and  without  prayer;  when 
the  thoughts  and  affections  are  not  fixed  upon 
God,  or  in  harmony  with  his  will,  the  mind  is 
clouded  with  doubt ;  and  in  the  very  study  of 
the  Bible,  skepticism  strengthens.  The  enemy 
takes  control  of  the  thoughts,  and  he  suggests 
interpretations  that  are  not  correct.  Whenev- 
er men  are  not  in  word  and  deed  seeking  to  be 
in  harmony  with  God,  then,  however  learned 
they  may  be,  they  are  liable  to  err  in  their  un- 
derstanding of  Scripture,  and  it  is  not  safe  to 
trust  to  their  explanations.  Those  who  look  to 
the  Scriptures  to  find  discrepancies,  have  not 
spiritual  insight.  With  distorted  vision  they 
will  see  many  causes  for  doubt  and  unbelief 
in  things  that  are  really  plain  and  simple. 

Disguise  it  as  they  may,  the  real  cause  of 
doubt  and  skepticism,  in  most  cases,  is  the  love 


142  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

of  sin.  The  teachings  and  restrictions  of 
God's  word  are  not  welcome  to  the  proud,  sin- 
loving  heart,  and  those  who  are  unwilling  to 
obey  its  requirements  are  ready  to  doubt  its 
authority.  In  order  to  arrive  at  truth,  we  must 
have  a  sincere  desire  to  know  the  truth,  and  a 
willingness  of  heart  to  obey  it.  And  all  who 
come  in  this  spirit  to  the  study  of  the  Bible, 
will  find  abundant  evidence  that  it  is  God's 
word,  and  they  may  gain  an  understanding  of 
its  truths  that  will  make  them  wise  unto  sal- 
vation. 

Christ  has  said,  "If  any  man  willeth  to  do 
his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  teaching."  '  In- 
stead of  questioning  and  caviling  concerning 
that  which  you  do  not  understand,  give  heed  to 
the  light  that  already  shines  upon  you,  and 
you  will  receive  greater  light.  By  the 
grace  of  Christ,  perform  every  duty  that 
has  been  made  plain  to  your  understand- 
ing, and  you  will  be  enabled  to  understand 
and  perform  those  of  which  you  are  now  in 
doubt. 

There  is  an  evidence  that  is  open  to  all, — 
the  most  highly  educated,  and  the  most  illiter- 
1  John  7  :  17,  R.  V. 


WHAT    TO   DO  WITH  DOUBT.  143. 

ate, — the  evidence  of  experience.  God  invites 
us  to  prove  for  ourselves  the  reality  of  his 
word,  the  truth  of  his  promises.  He  bids  us 
"Taste  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good."  J  In- 
stead of  depending  upon  the  word  of  another, 
we  are  to  taste  for  ourselves.  He  declares, 
"Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive."  2  His  promises 
will  be  fulfilled.  They  have  never  failed ;  they 
never  can  fail.  And  as  we  draw  near  to  Jesus, 
and  rejoice  in  the  fullness  of  his  love,  our 
doubt  and  darkness  will  disappear  in  the  light 
of  his  presence. 

The  apostle  Paul  says  that  God  "  hath  de- 
livered us  from  the  power  of  darkness,  and 
hath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear 
Son."3  .  And  every  one  who  has  passed  from 
death  unto  life  is  able  to  "  set  to  his  seal  that 
God  is  true." 4  He  can  testify,  "  I  needed  help, 
and  I  found  it  in  Jesus.  Every  want  was  sup- 
plied, the  hunger  of  my  soul  was  satisfied ;  and 
now  the  Bible  is  tome  the  revelation  of  Jesus- 
Christ.  Do  you  ask  why  I  believe  in  Jesus? 
— Because  he  is  to  me  a  divine  Saviour.  Why 
do  I  believe  the  Bible  ? — Because  I  have  found 
it    to   be   the  voice  of    God  to  my  soul."     We 

1  Ps.  34  .  8.      2  John  16  :  24.     3  Col.  1:13.      *  John  3 :  3a 


144  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

may  have  the  witness  in  our  ourselves  that  the 
Bible  is  true,  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God. 
We  know  that  we  are  not  following  cunningly 
devised  fables. 

Peter  exhorts  his  brethren  to  "  grow  in  grace, 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ."  l  "When  the  people  of  God  are 
growing  in  grace,  they  will  be  constantly  ob- 
taining a  clearer  understanding  of  his  word. 
They  will  discern  new  light  and  beauty  in  its 
sacred  truths.  This  has  been  true  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  church  in  all  ages,  and  thus  it  will 
continue  to  the  end.  "  The  path  of  the  right- 
eous is  as  the  light  of  dawn,  that  shineth  more 
and  more  unto  the  perfect  day."2 

By  faith  we  may  look  to  the  hereafter,  and 
grasp  the  pledge  of  God  for  a  growth  of  intellect, 
the  human  faculties  uniting  with  the  divine,  and 
every  power  of  the  soul  being  brought  into  di- 
rect contact  with  the  Source  of  light.  We  may 
rejoice  that  all  which  has  perplexed  us  in  the 
providences  of  God  will  then  be  made  plain; 
things  hard  to  be  understood  will  then  find  an 
explanation ;  and  where  our  finite  minds  discov- 
ered only  confusion  and  broken  purposes,  we 
1 2  Peter  3:18.        2  Prov.  4 :  18,  R.  V.  (margin). 


WHAT  TO  DO   WITH  DOUBT  145 

shall  see  the  most  perfect  and  beautiful  har- 
mony. * '  Now  we  see  through  a  glass,  darkly  , 
but  then  face  to  face  :  now  1  know  in  part ; 
but  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I  am 
known."  ' 

M  Cor.  13;  J2. 
10 


REJOICING   IN   THE   LORD. 


The  children  of  God  are  called  to  be  repre- 
sentatives of  Christ,  showing  forth  the  good- 
ness and  mercy  of  the  Lord.  As  Jesus  has 
revealed  to  us  the  true  character  of  the  Fath- 
er, so  we  are  to  reveal  Christ  to  a  world  that 
does  not  know  his  tender,  pitying  love.  "As 
thou  hast  sent  me  into  the  world,"  said  Jesus, 
"  even  so  have  I  also  sent  them  into  the  world." 
"  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  .  .  .  that  the 
world  may  know  that  thou  hast  sent  me."1 
The  apostle  Paul  says  to  the  disciples  of  Jesus, 
"  Ye  are  manifestly  declared  to  be  the  epistle 
of  Christ,  known  and  read  of  all  men" 2 
In  every  one  of  his  children,  Jesus  sends 
a  letter  to  the  world.  If  you  are  Christ's 
follower,  he  sends  in  you  a  letter  to 
the  family,  the  village,  the  street,  where  you 
live.  Jesus,  dwelling  in  you,  desires  to  speak 
to  the  hearts  of  those  who  are  not  acquainted 
with   him.       Perhaps    they   do   not   read    the 

1  John  17: 18,  23.  22Cor.  3:3,  2. 

[146] 


REJOICING   IN    THE   LORD.  147 

Bible,  or  do  not  hear  the  voice  that  speaks  to 
them  in  its  pages;  they  do  not  see  the  love  of 
God  through  his  works.  But  if  you  are  a  true 
representative  of  Jesus,  it  may  be  that  through 
you  they  will  be  led  to  understand  something 
of  his  goodness,  and  be  won  to  love  and  serve 
him. 

Christians  are  set  as  light-bearers  on  the 
way  to  heaven.  They  are  to  reflect  to  the 
world  the  light  shining  upon  them  from  Christ. 
Their  life  and  character  should  be  such  that 
through  them  others  will  get  a  right  concep- 
tion of  Christ  and  of  his  service. 

If  we  do  represent  Christ,  we  shall  make  his 
service  appear  attractive,  as  it  really  is. 
Christians  who  gather  up  gloom  and  sadness  to 
their  souls,  and  murmur  and  complain,  are 
giving  to  others  a  false  representation  of  God 
and  the  Christian  life.  They  give  the  impres- 
sion that  God  is  not  pleased  to  have  his  chil- 
dren happy,  and  in  this  they  bear  false  witness 
against  our  Heavenly  Father. 

Satan  is  exultant  when  he  can  lead  the  chil- 
dren of  God  into  unbelief  and  despondency. 
He  delights  to  see  us  mistrusting  God,  doubt- 
ing his  willingness  and  power  to  save  us.     He 


148  STEPS    TO   CHRIST. 

loves  to  have  us  feel  that  the  Lord  will  do  us 
harm  by  his  providences.  It  is  the  work  of 
Satan  to  represent  the  Lord  as  lacking  in 
compassion  and  pity.  He  misstates  the  truth 
in  regard  to  him.  He  fills  the  imagination 
with  false  ideas  concerning  God;  and  instead 
of  dwelling  upon  the  truth  in  regard  to  our 
Heavenly  Father,  we  too  often  G.x  our  minds 
upon  the  misrepresentations  of  Satan,  and  dis- 
honor God  by  distrusting  him  and  murmuring 
against  him.  Satan  ever  seeks  to  make  the 
religious  life  one  of  gloom.  He  desires  it  to 
appear  toilsome  and  difficult;  and  when  the 
Christian  presents  in  his  own  life  this  view  o£ 
religion,  he  is,  through  his  unbelief,  second- 
ing the  falsehood  of  Satan. 

Many,  walking  along  the  path  of  life,  dwell 
upon  their  mistakes  and  failures  and  disap- 
pointments, and  their  hearts  are  filled  with 
grief  and  discouragement.  While  I  was  in 
Europe,  a  sister  who  had  been  doing  this,  and 
who  was  in  deep  distress,  wrote  to  me,  asking 
for  some  word  of  encouragement.  The  night 
after  I  had  read  her  letter,  I  dreamed  that  I 
was  in  a  garden,  and  One  who  seemed  to  be 
the  owner  of  the    garden  was  conducting  me 


REJOICING  IN  THE  LORD.  149 

through  its  paths.  I  was  gathering  the  flow- 
ers and  enjoying  their  fragrance,  when  this 
sister,  who  had  been  walking  by  my  side, 
called  my  attention  to  some  unsightly  briers 
that  were  impeding  her  way.  There  she  was, 
mourning  and  grieving.  She  was  not  walking 
in  the  pathway,  following  the  guide,  but  was 
walking  among  the  briers  and  thorns.  "O," 
she  mourned,  "is  it  not  a  pity  that  this  beauti- 
ful garden  is  spoiled  with  thorns  ?  "  Then  the 
guide  said,  "Let  the  thorns  alone,  for  they 
will  only  wound  you.  Gather  the  roses,  the 
lilies,  and  the  pinks. " 

Have  there  not  been  some  bright  spots  in 
your  experience?  Have  you  not  had  some 
precious  seasons  when  your  heart  throbbed 
with  joy  in  response  to  the  Spirit  of  God? 
When  you  look  back  into  the  chapters  of  your 
life  experience,  do  you  not  find  some  pleasant 
pages?  Are  not  God's  promises,  like  the 
fragrant  flowers,  growing  beside  your  path  on 
every  hand  ?  Will  you  not  let  their  beauty  and 
sweetness  fill  your  heart  with  joy  ? 

The  briers  and  thorns  will  only  wound  and 
grieve  you ;  and  if  you  gather  only  these 
things,   and   present  them  to  others,    are   you 


150  STEPS  TO  CHBIST. 

not,  besides  slighting  the  goodness  of  God 
yourself,  preventing  those  around  you  from 
walking  in  the  path  of  life  ? 

It  is  not  wise  to  gather  together  all  the  un- 
pleasant recollections  of  a  past  life, —  its  iniqui- 
ties and  disappointments, — to  talk  over  them 
and  mourn  over  them  until  we  are  overwhelmed 
with  discouragement.  A  discouraged  soul  is 
filled  with  darkness,  shutting  out  the  light  of 
God  from  his  own  soul,  and  casting  a  shadow 
upon  the  pathway  of  others. 

Thank  God  for  the  bright  pictures  which  he 
has  presented  to  us.  Let  us  group  together 
the  blessed  assurances  of  his  love,  that  we  may 
look  upon  them  continually.  The  Son  of  God 
leaving  his  Father's  throne,  clothing  his  divin- 
ity with  humanity,  that  he  might  rescue  man 
from  the  power  of  Satan  ;  his  triumph  in  our 
behalf,  opening  heaven  to  men,  revealing  to 
human  vision  the  presence  chamber  where  the 
Deity  unveils  his  glory ;  the  fallen  race  up- 
lifted from  the  pit  of  ruin  into  which  sin  had 
plunged  it,  and  brought  again  into  connec- 
tion with  the  infinite  God,  and  having  endured 
the  divine  test  through  faith  in  our  Redeemer, 
clothed  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  ex- 


REJOICING  IN  THE  LORD.  151 

alted  to  his  throne, —  these  are  the  pictures 
which  God  would  have  us  contemplate. 

When  we  seem  to  doubt  God's  love,  and  dis- 
trust his  promises,  we  dishonor  him  and  grieve 
his  Holy  Spirit.  How  would  a  mother  feel  if 
her  children  were  constantly  complaining  of 
her,  just  as  though  she  did  not  mean  them  well, 
when  her  whole  life's  effort  had  been  to  for- 
ward their  interests  and  to  give  them  comfort? 
Suppose  they  should  doubt  her  love ;  it  would 
break  her  heart.  How  would  any  parent  feel 
to  be  thus  treated  by  his  children?  And  how 
can  our  Heavenly  Father  regard  us  when  we 
distrust  his  love,  which  has  led  him  to  give 
his  only  begotten  Son  that  we  might  have  life  ? 
The  apostle  writes,  "  He  that  spared  not  his 
own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how 
shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all 
things  ? "  *  And  yet  how  many,  by  their 
actions,  if  not  in  word,  are  saying,  "The  Lord 
does  not  mean  this  for  me.  Perhaps  he  loves 
others,  but  he  does  not  love  me." 

All  this  is  harming  your  own  soul ;  for  every 
word  of  doubt  you  utter  is  inviting  Satan's 
temptations ;  it  is  strengthening  in  you  the 
^om.  8:32. 


152  STEPS  TO   CHRIST. 

tendency  to  doubt,  and  it  is  grieving  from  }tou 
the  ministering  angels.  When  Satan  tempts 
you,  breathe  not  a  word  of  doubt  or  darkness. 
If  you  choose  to  open  the  door  to  his  sugges- 
tions, your  mind  will  be  filled  with  distrust  and 
rebellious  questioning.  If  you  talk  out  your 
feelings,  every  doubt  you  express  not  only  re- 
acts upon  yourself,  but  it  is  a  seed  that  will 
germinate  and  bear  fruit  in  the  life  of  others, 
and  it  may  be  impossible  to  counteract  the  in- 
fluence of  your  words.  Yon  yourself  may  be 
able  to  recover  from  the  season  of  temptation 
and  from  the  snare  of  Satan  ,  but  others,  who 
have  been  swayed  by  your  influence,  may  not 
be  able  to  escape  from  the  unbelief  you  have 
suggested.  How  important  that  we  speak  only 
those  things  that  will  give  spiritual  strength 
and  life. 

Angels  are  listening  to  hear  what  kind  of 
report  you  are  bearing  to  the  world  about  your 
Heavenly  Master.  Let  your  conversation  be  of 
him  who  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  you 
before  the  Father.  When  you  take  the  hand 
of  a  friend,  let  praise  to  God  be  on  your  lips 
and  in  your  heart.  This  will  attract  his 
thoughts  to  Jesus. 


REJOICING  IN  THE  LORD.  15£ 

All  have  trials ;  griefs  hard  to  bear,  tempta- 
tions hard  to  resist.  Do  not  tell  your  troub- 
les to  your  fellow-mortals,  but  carry  everything 
to  God  in  prayer.  Make  it  a  rule  never  to 
utter  one  word  of  doubt  or  discouragement. 
You  can  do  much  to  brighten  the  life  of  others 
and  strengthen  their  efforts,  by  words  of  hope 
and  holy  cheer* 

There  is  many  a  brave  soul  sorely  pressed 
by  temptation,  almost  ready  to  faint  in  the 
conflict  with  self  and  with  the  powers  of  evil. 
Do  not  discourage  such  a  one  in  his  hard 
struggle.  Cheer  him  with  brave,  hopeful 
words  that  shall  urge  him  on  his  way.  Thus 
the  light  of  Christ  may  shine  from  you. 
"  None  of  us  liveth  to  himself."1  By  our  un- 
conscious influence  others  may  be  encouraged 
and  strengthened,  or  they  may  be  discouraged, 
and  repelled  from  Christ  and  the  truth. 

There  are  many  who  have  an  erroneous  idea  of 
the  life  and  character  of  Christ.  They  think  that 
he  was  devoid  of  warmth  and  sunniness,  that 
he  was  stern,  severe,  and  joyless.  In  many 
cases  the  whole  religious  experience  is  colored 
by  these  gloomy  views. 

11  *  Rom.  14:7. 


154  STEPS   TO   CHRIST. 

It  is  often  said  that  Jesus  wept,  but  that  he 
was  never  known  to  smile.  Our  Saviour  was 
indeed  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with 
grief,  for  he  opened  his  heart  to  all  the  woes 
of  men.  But  though  his  life  was  self-denying 
and  shadowed  with  pain  and  care,  his  spirit 
was  not  crushed.  His  countenance  did  not 
wear  an  expression  of  grief  and  repining,  but 
ever  one  of  peaceful  serenity.  His  heart  was 
a  well-spring  of  life ;  and  wherever  he  went, 
he  carried  rest  and  peace,    joy  and  gladness. 

Our  Saviour  was  deeply  serious  and  intensely 
in  earnest,  but  never  gloomy  or  morose.  The 
life  of  those  who  imitate  him  will  be  full  of 
earnest  purpose ;  they  will  have  a  deep  sense 
of  personal  responsibility.  Levity  will  be 
repressed ;  there  will  be  no  boisterous  merri- 
ment, no  rude  jesting  ;  but  the  religion  of  Jesus 
gives  peace  like  a  river.  It  does  not  queuch 
the  light  of  joy,  it  does  not  restrain  cheerful- 
ness, nor  cloud  the  sunny,  smiling  face.  Christ 
came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minis- 
ter ;  and  when  his  love  reigns  in  the  heart,  we 
shall  follow  his  example. 

If  we  keep  uppermost  in  our  minds  the  un- 
kind and  unjust  acts  of  others,  we  shall  find  it 


REJOICING  IN  THE  LORD.  155 

impossible  to  love  them  as  Christ  has  loved  us, 
but  if  our  thoughts  dwell  upon  the  wondrous 
love  and  pity  of  Christ  for  us,  the  same  spirit 
fill  flow  out  to  others.  We  should  love  and 
respect  one  another,  notwithstanding  the  faults 
and  imperfections  that  we  cannot  help  seeing. 
Humility  and  self-distrust  should  be  cultiva- 
ted, and  a  patient  tenderness  with  the  faults  of 
others.  This  will  kill  out  all  narrowing  sel- 
fishness, and  make  us  large-hearted  and  gen- 
erous. 

The  Psalmist  says,  "  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and 
do  good;  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in  the  land,  and 
verily  thou  shalt  be  fed."1  "Trust  in  the 
Lord."  Each  day  has  its  burdens,  its  care& 
and  perplexities ;  and  when  we  meet,  how  ready 
we  are  to  talk  of  our  difficulties  and  trials.  So- 
many  borrowed  troubles  intrude,  so  many  fears 
are  indulged,  such  a  weight  of  anxiety  is- 
expressed,  that  one  might  suppose  we  had  no 
pitying,  loving  Saviour,  ready  to  hear  all  our 
requests,  and  to  be  to  us  a  present  help  in 
every  time  of  need. 

Some  are  always  fearing,  and  borrowing 
trouble.  Every  day  they  are  surrounded  with 
1  Ps.  37  :  3. 


156  STEPS  TO   CHRIST. 

the  tokens  of  God's  love;  every  day  they  are 
enjoying  the  bounties  of  his  providence;  but 
they  overlook  these  present  blessings.  Their 
minds  are  continually  dwelling  upon  something 
disagreeable,  which  they  fear  may  come;  or 
some  difficulty  may  really  exist,  which,  though 
small,  blinds  their  eyes  to  the  many  things 
that  demand  gratitude.  The  difficulties  they 
encounter,  instead  of  driving  them  to  God,  the 
only  source  of  their  help,  separate  them  from 
him,  because  they  awaken  unrest  and  repining. 

Do  we  well  to  be  thus  unbelieving?  Why 
should  we  be  ungrateful  and  distrustful  ?  Je- 
sus is  our  friend;  all  heaven  is  interested  in  our 
welfare.  We  should  not  allow  the  perplexities 
and  worries  of  every-day  life  to  fret  the  mind 
and  cloud  the  brow.  If  we  do,  we  shall  always 
have  something  to  vex  and  annoy.  We  should 
not  indulge  a  solicitude  that  only  frets  and 
wears  us,  but  does  not  help  us  to  bear  trials. 

You  may  be  perplexed  in  business;  your 
prospects  may  grow  darker  and  darker,  and 
you  may  be  threatened  with  loss ;  but  do  not 
become  discouraged ;  cast  your  care  upon  God, 
and  remain  calm  and  cheerful.  Pray  for  wis- 
dom to  manage  your  affairs  with  discretion,  and 


REJOICING  IN  THE  LORD.  157 

thus  prevent  loss  and  disaster.  Do  all  you 
can  on  your  part  to  bring  about  favorable  re- 
sults. Jesus  lias  promised  his  aid,  but  not 
apart  from  our  effort.  When,  relying  upon 
our  Helper,  you  have  done  all  you  can,  accept 
the  result  cheerfully. 

It  is  not  the  will  of  God  that  his  people 
should  be  weighed  down  with  care.  But  our 
Lord  does  not  deceive  us.  He  does  not  say  to 
us,  "  Do  not  fear;  there  are  no  dangers  in  your 
path."  He  knows  there  are  trials  and  dan- 
gers, and  he  deals  with  us  plainly.  He  does 
not  propose  to  take  his  people  out  of  a  world 
of  sin  and  evil,  but  he  points  them  to  a  never- 
failing  refuge.  His  prayer  for  his  disciple& 
was,  "  I  pray  not  that  thou  shouldst  take  them 
out  of  the  world,  but  that  thou  shouldst  keep 
them  from  the  evil."  "  In  the  world,"  he  says, 
"ye  shall  have  tribulation;  but  be  of  good 
cheer;  I  have  overcome  the  world."1 

In  his  sermon  on  the  mount,  Christ  taught 
his  disciples  precious  lessons  in  regard  to  the- 
necessity  of  trusting  in  God.  These  lessons 
were  designed  to  encourage  the  children  of 
God  through  all  ages,  and  they  have  come 
^0111117:15;  16:33. 


158  STEPS    TO  CHRIST. 

down  to  our  time  full  of  instruction  and  com- 
fort. The  Saviour  pointed  his  followers  to  the 
birds  of  the  air  as  they  warbled  their  carols  of 
praise  unencumbered  with  thoughts  of  care, 
for  "  they  sow  not,  neither  do  they  reap."  And 
yet  the  great  Father  provides  for  their  needs. 
The  Saviour  asks,  "Are  ye  not  much  better 
than  they  ?  "  ■  The  great  Provider  for  man 
and  beast  opens  his  hand  and  supplies  all  his 
creatures.  The  birds  of  the  air  are  not  be- 
neath his  notice.  He  does  not  drop  the  food 
into  their  bills,  but  he  makes  provision  for 
their  needs.  They  must  gather  the  grains  he 
has  scattered  for  them.  They  must  prepare 
the  material  for  their  little  nests.  They  must 
feed  their  young.  They  go  forth  singing  to 
their  labor,  for  "  your  Heavenly  Father  feed- 
eth  them."  And  "  are  ye  not  much  better  than 
they?"  Are  not  you,  as  intelligent,  spiritual 
worshipers,  of  more  value  than  the  birds  of  the 
air?  Will  not  the  Author  of  our  being,  the 
Preserver  of  our  life,  the  One  who  formed  us 
in  his  own  divine  image,  provide  for  our  ne- 
cessities if  we  but  trust  in  him? 

Christ  pointed  his  disciples  to  the  flowers  of 
1  Matt.  6  :  26. 


REJOICING   IN   THE   LORD.  15$ 

the  field,  growing  in  rich  profusion,  and  glow- 
ing in  the  simple  beauty  which  the  Heavenly 
Father  had  given  them,  as  an  expression  of 
his  love  toman.  He  said,  "  Consider  the  lilies 
of  the  field,  how  they  grow."  The  beauty  and 
simplicity  of  these  natural  flowers,  far  outrival 
the  splendor  of  Solomon.  The  most  gorgeous 
attire  produced  by  the  skill  of  art  cannot  bear 
comparison  with  the  natural  grace  and  radiant 
beauty  of  the  flowers  of  God's  creation.  Jesus 
asks,  "  If  God  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  field, 
which  to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the 
oven,  shall  he  not  much  more  clothe  you,  O 
ye  of  little  faith  ?  " '  If  God,  the  divine  artist, 
gives  to  the  simple  flowers  that  perish  in  a 
day,  their  delicate  and  varied  colors,  how  much 
greater  care  will  he  have  for  those  who  are 
created  in  his  own  image?  This  lesson  of 
Christ's  is  a  rebuke  to  the  anxious  thought, 
the  perplexity  and  doubt,  of  the  faithless 
heart. 

The    Lord  would   have   all  his    sons    and 
daughters  happy,  peaceful,  and  obedient.     Je- 
sus says,    "  My  peace  I  give  unto  you:  not  as 
the   world   giveth,  give  I  unto  you.     Let  not 
1  Matt.  6  :  28.  30. 


160  STEPS  TO  CHBIST 

your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be  afraid. u 
1  'These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you  that 
my  joy  might  remain  in  you,  and  that  your  joy- 
might  be  full."  l 

Happiness  that  is  sought  from  selfish  mo- 
tives, outside  of  the  path  of  duty,  is  ill-bal- 
anced, fitful,  and  transitory;  it  passes  away, 
and  the  soul  is  filled  with  loneliness  and  sor- 
row ;  but  there  is  joy  and  satisfaction  in  the 
service  of  God ;  the  Christian  is  not  left  to  walk 
in  uncertain  paths;  he  is  not  left  to  vain  re- 
grets and  disappointments.  If  we  do  not  have 
the  pleasures  of  this  life,  we  may  still  be  joy- 
ful in  looking  to  the  life  beyond. 

But  even  here  Christians  may  have  the  joy 
of  communion  with  Christ;  they  may  have  the 
light  of  his  love,  the  perpetual  comfort  of  his 
presence.  Every  step  in  life  may  bring  us 
closer  to  Jesus,  may  give  us  a  deeper  experi- 
ence of  his  love,  and  may  bring  us  one  step 
nearer  to  the  blessed  home  of  peace.  Then  let 
us  not  cast  away  our  confidence,  but  have  firm 
assurance,  firmer  than  ever  before.  "  Hitherto 
hath  the  Lord  helped  us,"  2  and  he  will  help  us 
■to  the  end.  Let  us  look  to  the  monumental 
1  John  14:27;  15:11.  *  1  Sam.  7  :  12. 


REJOICING    IN    THE    LORD.  161 

pillars,  reminders  of  what  the  Lord  has  done 
to  comfort  us  and  to  save  us  from  the  hand  of 
the  destroyer.  Let  us  keep  fresh  in  our  mem- 
ory all  the  tender  mercies  that  God  has  shown 
us, — the  tears  he  has  wiped  away,  the  pains  he 
has  soothed,  the  anxieties  removed,  the  fears 
dispelled,  the  wants  supplied,  the  blessings 
bestowed,  thus  strengthening  ourselves  for  all 
that  is  before  us  through  the  remainder  of  our 
pilgrimage. 

We  cannot  but  look  forward  to  new  perplex- 
ities in  the  coming  conflict,  but  we  may  look 
on  what  is  past  as  well  as  on  what  is  to  come, 
and  say,  "Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  us." 
"As  thy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength  be."  l  The 
trial  will  not  exceed  the  strength  that  shall  be 
given  us  to  bear  it.  Then  let  us  take  up  our 
work  just  where  we  find  it,  believing  that  what- 
ever may  come,  strength  proportionate  to  the 
trial  will  be  given. 

And  by  and  by  the  gates  of  heaven  will  be 
thrown  open  to  admit  God's  children,  and  from 
the  lips  of  the  King  of  Glory  the  benediction 
will  fall  on  their  ears  like  richest  music, 
"  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the 

1  Deut.  33  :  25. 


162  STEPS    TO    CHRIST. 

kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation 
of  the  world." ' 

Then  the  redeemed  will  be  welcomed  to  the 
home  that  Jesus  is  preparing  for  them.  There 
their  companions  will  not  be  the  vile  of  earth, 
liars,  idolaters,  the  impure  and  unbelieving; 
but  they  will  associate  with  those  who  have 
overcome  Satan,  and  through  divine  grace  have 
formed  perfect  characters.  Every  sinful  ten- 
dency, every  imperfection,  that  afflicts  them 
here,  has  been  removed  by  the  blood  of  Christ, 
and  the  excellence  and  brightness  of  his  glory, 
far  exceeding  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  is  im- 
parted to  them.  And  the  moral  beauty,  the 
perfection  of  his  character,  shines  through 
them,  in  worth  far  exceeding  this  outward 
splendor.  They  are  without  fault  before  the 
great  white  throne,  sharing  the  dignity  and  the 
privileges  of  the  angels. 

In  view  of  the  glorious  inheritance  that  may 
be  his,  "  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for 
his  soul  ?  "  9  He  may  be  poor,  yet  he  possesses 
in  himself  a  wealth  and  dignity  that  the  world 
could  never  bestow.  The  soul  redeemed  and 
cleansed  from  sin,  with  all   its  noble  powers 

1  Matt.  25  :  34.  2  Matt.  16  :  26. 


REJOICING   IN    THE   LORD.  163 

dedicated  to  the  service  of  God,  is  of  surpass- 
ing worth ;  and  there  is  joy  in  heaven  in  the 
presence  of  God  and  the  holy  angels  over  one 
soul  redeemed,  a  joy  that  is  expressed  in  songs 
of  holy  triumph. 


the.desire.... 
of  Ages 


1&t    1fi&    1&*    tfi^ 


BY  MRS.  E.  G.  WHITE 


^Uafctfhfc\k\k\&\&tfc\l/\b\bvlAfe\)» 


Author  of  "Patriarchs 
and  Prophets,"  "The 
Great  Controversy  Be- 
tween Christ  and  Sa- 
tan/' **  Thoughts  from 
the  Mount  of  Blessing," 
"  Steps  to  Christ,"  and 
other  valuable  and 
well-known  works. 


W4W<fW4W'!W4W4lW4W<!flt 


THIS  latest  book  from  her  pen 
is  an  intensely  interesting  and 
beautifully  illustrated  volume, 
the  key-note  of  which  is  the  great 
truth  that  in  Christ  the  love  of  the 
Father  is  revealed, —  that  ' '  God 
was  in  Christ  reconciling  the 
world  unto  himself." 


It  has  been  the  work  of  Satan 
to  misrepresent  the  character  of 
God  and  to  deny  the  authority 
of  His  law,  while  Christ,  who 
was  ' '  God  manifest  in  the  flesh, ' ' 
by  His  death  redeems  the  trans- 
gressor and  maintains  the  immutability  of  that  law.  Thus 
God's  love  and  justice  are  vindicated.  This  book  treats  of 
the  development  of  this  purpose  as  wrought  out  in  the  life 
of  Christ. 

"The  Desire  of  Ages"  will 
Interest  All  Classes  ^  <£  j* 

For  they  were  all  represented  in  the  various  individuals  that 
received  help  and  encouragement  from  the  Great  Consoler 
while  He  was  here  upon  earth. 

It  is  dedicated  to  the  great  family  for  whom  our  Elder 
Brother  lived  and  died. 

The  illustrations  have  been  prepared  by  eminent  New 
York    artists    and    are    first-class    in  every  particular.     They 


consist  of  38  full-page  engravings,  87  illuminated  chapter 
headings,  and  nearly  300  small  cuts,  and  were  all  made  es- 
pecially for  this  book. 


ra  gs 


m  ss 


The  volume  is  divided  into 
the  f ollowng  sections  :  — 

Section  J— AN  OUTLOOK 
Section  2 -EARLY  YEARS 
Section  3  — THE  ANOINTED  ONE 
Section  4— THE  DAYS  OF  PROMISE 
Section  5— FALLING  SHADOWS 
Section  6— THE  REJECTED  ONE 
Section  7-NEARING  THE  END 
Section  8— THE  CRUCIFIED 
Section  9— TO    THE  FATHER'S 
THRONE 


J 


to        to        to        to        to 


It9  87  chapters  and  index  form  a  volume  of  nearly  900 
large  octavo  pages.  It  is  printed  on  enamel-finish,  super- 
calendered  book  paper,  and  is  bound  as  follows :  — 


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Patriarchs  and  Prophets 


The  Great  Conflict  Between  Good  and  Evil  as  Illustrated  in 
the  lives  of  Holy  Men  of  Old. 


By  rtRS.  E.  G.  WHITE. 


THIS  book  treats  on  the  great 
themes  of  Bible  History.— 
Beginning  with  the  rebellion  in 
heaven,  the  author  shows  why 
sin  was  permitted,  why  Satan 
was  not  destroyed,  and  why 
man  was  tested.  It  gives  a 
thrilling  description  of  man's 
temptation  and  fall,  and  re- 
hearses the  plan  of  redemption 
devised  for  his  salvation. 

This  volume  traces  the  great 
conflict  between  good  and 
evil  from  its  inception  down 
through  the  centuries,  and 
shows  God's  wonderful  love  for 
mankind  by  his  dealings  with 
the  "holy  men  of  old." 

The  life  of  each  of  the  patri- 
archs, from  Adam  to  King  Da- 
vid, is  carefully  scanned,  and 
from  each  a  lesson  is  drawn,  pointing  out  the  consequences  of  sin 
and  bringing  most  vividly  to  mind  Satan's  studied  plan  for  the  over- 
throw of  the  race. 

The  themes  as  treated  in  this  volume  will  stir  the  soul  to  Its 
depths  and  awaken  the  liveliest  emotions  of  the  mind,  yet  it  it  all 
written  in  plain,  simple  style. 

Contains  73  chapters,  762  pages,  and  more  than  50  engravings, 
over  30  of  which  are  full-page;  and  many  were  designed  and  engraved 
especially  for  this  book  and  at  great  expense,  by  an  artist  in  Paris, 
France.  The  subscriber  can  choose  from  the  following  substantial 
and  attractive  bindings:  — 

Drab  English  cloth,  emblematical  design  in  jet  and  gold,  marbled  edget,$2.25 
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Also  issued  in  Danish,  Swedish,  German,  Dutch,  and  Spanish. 


The  Great  Controversy 

Between  Christ  and  Satan  During 
the  Christian  Dispensation 

. .  By  . . 
MRS.  E.  G.  WHITE. 

A  COMPANION 
VOLUME  TO  .  . 
"PATRIARCHS  . . 
AND  PROPHETS" 

This  volume  presents  the 
most  wonderful  and  intensely 
interesting  history  that  has  ever 
been  written  of  the  great  con- 
flict between  Christianity  and 
the  powers  of  darkness,  as  illus- 
trated in  the  lives  of  Christian 
martyrs  and  reformers  on  the 
one  hand,  and  wicked  men  and 
persecuting  powers  on  the  other. 
Beginning  with  our  Lord's  great  prophecy  given  while  viewing 
Jerusalem  from  the  Mount  of  Olives,  this  book  outlines  the  history 
of  the  whole  dispensation  down  to  the  time  when  "  sin  and  sinners 
are  no  more  ;  God's  entire  universe  is  clean  ;  and  the  great  contro- 
versy is  forever  ended." 


14th  Edition.    Over  700  Pages,  and  26  Illustrations. 
Work  is  Handsomely  Printed  and  Bound. 


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same  prices. 


Thoughts  from  the  Mount  of  Blessing. 


. . . by  . . . 
MRS.  E.  G.  WHITE. 


£l  GRAPHIC  presentation  of  the 
©  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  written 
in  the  chaste  yet  magnetically  elo- 
quent language  characteristic  of 
this  author.  The  reader  quickly 
finds  himself  transported  to  the 
mountainside,  where  with  the  vast 
multitude  he  listens  to  wonderful 
lessons,  fraught  with  tender  pity 
and  divine  love,  from  the  lips  of 
Him  who  spake  as  never  man  spake 
before.  An  excellent  companion 
volume  to  "Steps  to  Christ,"  by 
the  same  author. 

"  Thoughts  from  the  Mount  of  Blessing  "  contains  15  original  half- 
tone illustrations,  printed  on  enameled  paper. 

Bound  in  cloth,  embossed  in  gold,  209  pages,  ...    $    .75 
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THE  SUFFERINGS  OF  CHRIST, 

Bible  Student's  Library,    No.  14,  A  Tract  of  33  Pages, 

Which  dwells  in  the  most  touching  language  on  the  scenes  in  Geth- 
semane  and  at  Calvary  during  the  last  hours  of  the  Redeemer  on 
earth.    It  is  perfectly  calculated  to  move  the  hardest  heart.    2c.  ppd. 

TEMPTED  AS  WE  ARE, 

Bible  Studeat's  Library,  No.  18, 

Is  a  most  comforting  tract  of  sixteen  pages,  based  on  the  passages, 
"Tempted  in  all  points  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin,"  and  "In 
that  He  himself  hath  suffered  being  tempted,  he  is  able  to  succor 
them  that  are  tempted."    lc.  ppd. 

For  any  of  the  foregoing,  address  — 

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Date  Due 

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ITI  ,'   *J           *V 

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PHa 

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9 

